


Goblin Warfare

by Leggo My Lego Harry Potter (Runic_Purple_Panda)



Series: Fanfiction.net: Revived and Revised [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, LEGO Harry Potter (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Pairings Only In Epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-04-25 19:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 32,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4973755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runic_Purple_Panda/pseuds/Leggo%20My%20Lego%20Harry%20Potter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flitwick stumbles upon Harry a few days after the Goblet of Fire spits out his name.</p><p>*~*The prologue of this story were previously posted on Fanfiction.net, but the story was left there uncompleted.  Even if you read the chapter posted there, please reread the whole story.  It has been revised, edited, and completed since then.*~*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: A Horrible Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> During the third task in the year 4 part of the game, Harry turned into Flitwick. Only the prologue of this story was posted to FF.net. There are some minor edits, but it has remained mostly the same.

“Mr. Potter?” Professor Flitwick asked. He was the Charms teacher at Hogwarts. Harry didn’t answer, so Flitwick assumed he was asleep. It was very early, after all; Flitwick himself had only just woken up a half-hour ago, and he normally rose well before the sun.

Flitwick leaned over to shake his shoulder to wake him up, but stopped cold. Harry Potter’s eyes were open, and had an empty, dead look to them. For a moment, Flitwick thought he was actually dead, but then the green eyes focused on him.

“Professor.”

“Mr. Potter, are you alright?”

Harry snorted. “I’m on yet another dangerous adventure, and no one seems to care that I didn’t put my name in the Goblet of Fire, meaning that someone else did, most likely to try and kill me. And I’ve got that feeling again. So, no Professor Flitwick, I am most definitely not _alright_.”

“I see. I apologize for asking such a senseless question,” Flitwick said, sitting down next to Harry. It was only then that Flitwick realized Harry wasn’t that much taller than himself. He had always seemed short compared to Mr. Weasley, but then, only Hagrid _wasn’t_ short when compared to the hot-tempered redhead. “Tell me, what feeling do you mean?”

“The same one I got around Quirrell, before and during our attempt to _rescue_ the Philosopher’s Stone. The one I got around Lockhart just before he tried to obliviate me and Ron. The one I got around Scabbers before we knew he was an animagus, and the one I got just before he escaped. Something bad is coming Professor, and I don’t think I’m going to make it out alive this time.”

“Your mother almost agreed to be my apprentice, you know,” Flitwick said, “but she got those feelings too.”

“She did?”

“Yes, and she was never wrong.” Flitwick stood up. “Come with me, Mr. Potter. I will ensure you live through this tournament, if I have to take your place to do it!”

Flitwick led Harry up to his office, and then to a much more comfortable-looking room behind it. “Do you know how to use floo powder, Harry?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, good. Your mother didn’t learn to use it until she was sixteen. Anyway, here we are.” Flitwick took a handful of powder, before offering the floo pot to Harry. Harry took his own handful, and Flitwick put it back on the mantle. “Now, we’re going to Gringotts, but the floo addres is **Grueck Parzna Grinbo Kyargott**. Did you get that?”

Harry tried to repeat it, and failed. Flitwick corrected him several times before he got it right.

“Good. It’s in Gobbledegook, the goblin tongue. It means The Great Bank of the Honorable Grin of Clan Gott. I’ll go first. Wait thirty seconds, then follow me, alright?” Harry nodded. “Good.” Flitwick threw the powder into the fire, stepped in, and cried out the address.

* * *

Harry flew out of the fireplace, and landed in a heap in front of Professor Flitwick.

“Oh dear. I thought you said you knew how to floo,” Flitwick said, helping him up. “You have to start walking while you’re being transported.” Harry dusted himself off, and then followed Flitwick down a hallway.

“It would have been nice if someone told me that before. I’ve been falling out of fireplaces since before second year.”

“You didn’t get the travel guide recommended by your information pack then. Not surprising, most muggleborn don’t bother getting it till later anyway.”

“What information pack?”

Flitwick stumbled a little, but continued on. “You didn’t get the information pack? The one every muggleborn and muggle-raised student it supposed to get? An extra list should have come with your supply list, with several books holding information to those new to the Wizarding World listed on it.”

“I didn’t get one.”

“Well, we’ll stop by Flourish and Blotts to get the books later, then. They have some basic information that all wizard-raised children learn at home.” Flitwick continued leading Harry through the twists and turns, mumbling under his breath in another language. Harry assumed it was Gobbledegook, as it sounded similar to the bank’s floo address.

They stopped in front of a door with a sign on it. The sign had strange looking runes on it. “ **Parzna Sirole** ,” Flitwick read, finger following the runes as he did. He then did it again, but this time he spoke in English, “ _Bank Archive_. In we go.”


	2. 01: The Archive

The door led to another hallway – this one lined completely with doors. Each door had signs with similar runes to the door they entered from.

“Stay close. It is very easy to get lost in here,” Flitwick said. “Everything is in alphabetical order, then chronological order, and of course, it’s all in Gobbledegook.”

“What exactly are we looking for?” Harry asked.

“The rules and regulations of the Tri-wizard Tournament. The Ministry Archives probably have them easier to find, but I don’t want them to know we’re looking into them. You can’t use the loophole you want to use if the Ministry finds out about it and closes it.”

“Oh.”

“Goblins, like the Ministry, like to keep records of everything. It lets them know who is friends with who and who they can treat badly if they don’t like them without getting in trouble with the Ministry. They also don’t like wizards, so what we’re looking for is probably going to be under ‘crappy wizard tournament’.”

“Which is what in Gobbledegook?”

“ **Kalree dunzard talsrind** ,” Flitwick said. He wrote some runes in the air with his wand. “It looks like this.” They stopped in front of a door. “Here we are. The sign says ‘ **Nalsgobard Talsrind Packern** ’ by the way, _Not Goblin Tournament Events_.”

Flitwick and Harry spent several hours looking for the rules. Breakfast passed with a house-elf bringing them food. Once lunch time rolled around, they decided to take lunch at the Leaky Cauldron instead.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Flitwick said. “Expecto Patronum. Message Start. I have Mr. Potter with me, please don’t worry. Message End. Deliver that to Minerva won’t you?” Flitwick’s Patronus, a guinea pig, charged away. “Just as well that it’s Sunday. If I’d taken you away during a school day, she’d have my head.”

“You can use those as messengers?” Harry asked.

“Yes, of course. Eat some more of your meat now. We need to put some on your bones.” Flitwick made a mental note to have Harry checked over by a healer. He shouldn’t be nearly so small at his age, unless he was part goblin or dwarf, neither of which his parents or grandparents were.

After lunch they returned back to the Archive room. An hour later, Flitwick finally found it.

“Ah, here we are. Silly me. It was listed under ‘stupid wizard child tournament between three schools’. That’s **dunnee dunzard creid talsrind veran allnai lera** by the way.” Flitwick pointed to the rune representing each word as he said them.

The book he pulled out was huge. “Why is it so big?” Harry asked.

“Because it contains all the rules that have ever been in one of the tournament, rather than the ones the Ministry has deemed to acknowledge. The Goblet of Fire is likely still following some of these rules, even if the Ministry is not.”

“Is there a separate rune for each word?”

“Almost. Some words are combinations of two words, and so have the two runes placed closer together. See ‘dunzard’ here? See how the first rune matches ‘dunnee’?”

“The first part of wizard means ‘stupid’ in Gobbledegook?”

“Yes. And ‘zard’ shares a rune with ‘zardic’, which means ‘magic user’. Goblins have never been particularly fond of wizards, so calling them ‘stupid magic users’ amuses them. A few lucky wizards have been promoted to ‘farzard’, which is ‘friend magic user’ or ‘friendly magic user’ depending on how you translate it. Now, let’s see about translating this out, shall we.”

Flitwick found the section on the contract between the Goblet and the champions, and went over each word slowly with his finger, saying the words out loud in Gobbledegook and then translating the sentence into English when he got to the end of it.

“It looks like you could have gotten out of it, if Dumbledore hadn’t insisted you join the other champions. Sometimes, I don’t know what goes through that boy’s head.”

“Boy? And can I get out of it now?”

“I’m three times older than Albus Dumbledore, even if I don’t look it.” Goblins, even part-goblins, aged much slower than wizards. “And no, once you joined the other champions, the Goblet took that as your consent to compete. You could drop out, but I am unsure whether the Goblet would choose to take your magic as punishment, or the magic of the person who entered you.”

“So I’m stuck competing.”

“It looks like it. We’ll bring this with us, and I’ll look into it some more. We have a little time before the first task. Now, we’ll just stop by Flourish and Blotts, and pick up a few books that should help you catch up to your fellow champions.”

* * *

“ **Flitcar Kyarwick. Ruskner creid Kyarpotter?** ” a voice behind them asked, before they managed to make it to the lobby of the bank. They turned to see another goblin storming too them.

“ **Earda** ,” Flitwick answered. “He asked if you-”

“If I was the Potter child, right? And I guess your answer was yes?”

“Close. ‘Creid’ does mean child, but it can also mean heir, if in context with a clan, or family, name. And ‘Earda’ actually translates to affirmative response, but is commonly translated as ‘yes’, so I suppose you are right.”

“He speaks properly?” the other goblin said in surprise. He turned to Harry, and spoke in Gobbledegook, “ **Ruskner Orda Sizral creid Kyarpotter?** ”

“He’s asking if I responded to something?” Harry looked to Flitwick for confirmation.

“Close. He’s asking why you haven’t responded to the letters.”

“What letters?” Harry asked. Then he slowly attempted to piece together the same sentence in Gobbdegook. “ **Ruskner Sizral?** ”

“Very good Mr. Potter,” Flitwick said. “He’s learning, slowly, as you see.”

“Yes, quite,” the goblin said. “ **Deris Proudcar Kyargott.** ”

“He’s introduced himself. ‘-car’ at the end of his name means he’s battled with a large beast, other than a dragon. I believe a thousand-year-old basilisk would count for the addition, wouldn’t you Proudgott?”

“Quite. Though mine was a rather large nundu.”

“Go on an attempt your own introduction, Mr. Potter.”

“ **Deris Harrycar Kyarpotter** ,” Harry said slowly, looking to Flitwick for confirmation to add the –car.

Proudgott raised his eyebrows, “This thousand-year-old basilisk, I assume? Interesting. I should like to see your memory of the battle. How did you fare? Magic is almost as useless against them as it is a dragon.”

“I had a sword and a phoenix, Fawkes, pecked out its eyes before I managed to kill it.”

“At the age of twelve, extremely young for a wizard child,” Flitwick said. “And he didn’t die in the attempt.”

“Almost did. If it weren’t for Fawkes crying in the wound, the basilisk would have killed me.”

“A venom-filled bite?” Proudgott asked, sounding impressed, and worried. “I think I would feel better if we got you to a healer. We’ll get to your lost letters later.”

* * *

Harry was taken through the twisting hallways once more, ending up in a room that looked quite similar to the hospital wing at Hogwarts.

“ **Deris Hilllay Kyardrop** ,” Proudgott introduced them to the goblin in the room.

“-lay for healer?” Harry asked.

“Actually Master Healer,” Flitwick said, before introducing himself. “Deris Flitcar Kyarwick.”

“ **Deris Harrycar Kyarpotter** ,” Harry followed.

Hilldrop raised her eyebrows, “ **Reskner Fleercar?** ”

“She’s asking how you earned the title -car,” Flitwick said.

“How do I say really big snake in Gobbledegook?”

“A basilisk, in fact,” Proudgott said.

“A basilisk! How on earth did you manage that boy!?” Hilldrop asked.

“With a sword, and a lot of help from a phoenix.”

“We need him to be looked at,” Proudgott said. “The basilisk managed to bite him.”

“Bite him!? You should have brought him to me immediately!”

“It was two years ago, well, more like one and half, but close to two years,” Harry said.

Hilldrop let of several words that made Flitwick cover Harry’s ears.

“Words I shouldn’t try to learn, I take it?”

“Your mother would come back from the dead just to kill me if I let you learn them.”

“Out, out, both of you! I have a patient to look after. A _basilisk_!?”

* * *

“Do you think he’d be willing to part with a copy of his memory of the battle?” Proudgott asked.

“Most likely, if you explained to him how to do it, and showed him how. He learns better by action than by words.”

“Like any decent goblin does.”

“If he does give you the memory, how about helping me out with the paperwork to make his title nice and unoverturnable?”

“What are you up to now, Flitcar?”

“You’ve seen his size. He’s too small for his age, at least for wizards. If there were a goblin or a dwarf in the family, I’d understand, but as far as I know there isn’t, at least not for two generations back.”

“You think he’s being prevented from reaching his true size somehow?”

“Yes. Minerva’s always saying how she disagreed with where Albus left him – saying they were the worst sort of muggles imaginable. Most muggles are like us, they’d never harm so much as a hair on a child’s head, but others…if he has a goblin title, and the paperwork to back it up, I can take him as my apprentice.”

“And take over his guardianship while you’re at it.”

“Exactly. Not to mention, I’ve seen how he does on his practical exams. He’s not bad at Charms and Transfiguration, but Defense is his specialty.”

“Just make sure to teach him the goblin way. The best defense is a good offense.”

* * *

The goblin, not having a wand, waved a variety of strange looking devices around him instead. Hilldrop looked at the parchment that was recording the information with a frown.

“I’ll need your address for our records,” she said, with a blank look.

“Hogwarts.”

“And when you’re not at Hogwarts?”

“Oh, uh, with the Dursley family at #4 Privet Drive, Little Whining in Surrey.”

“Thank you. Now, you’ll drink all of these, regardless of how nasty they taste. All potions taste like that. I have to go talk to Flitcar and Proudcar.” She gave him several potions and left the room. Harry was pleasantly surprised to find that they tasted very pleasant. Goblins and Wizards must have very different taste buds, he thought, trying to figure out a way to get the goblin versions of any potions he’d need in the future.

* * *

“At #4 Privet Drive in Little Whining, Surrey, you will find a family called the Dursleys,” Hilldrop said.

“This is important why?” Proudgott asked.

“Judging by the timeline, they are neglecting Harrycar very badly, and he has suffered quite a few broken bones, more than a child could gain during play.”

“I see. Well, I’ll definitely be working on that paperwork now. There’s no way I’ll let the boy go back to where he is abused. What else?”

“A minor possession attempt two and a half years ago, and a minor incident of time travel earlier in this year, but I believe you wished to know about the basilisk?”

“Yes.”

“He did get bitten by one, an old one if the potency of the venom is any indication, and the venom is still inside him, though it is held at bay by the phoenix tears that are also inside him.”

“So at least that part of the story is correct, lending it some credibility.”

“There are two other things I’m worried about. His lack of growth is not only because of his malnutrition as a young child, but also because of a potion he has been given regular doses of, likely in his food or drink considering how much of it was in his system. I gave him a flushing potion for it. He will start gaining height and weight very shortly if he eats well and doesn’t get dosed with the potion again.”

Flitwick nodded, “I’ll go to the house-elves when I get back to Hogwarts. If they aren’t aware who’s doing it, I’ll have them make Harry’s plate and drink separate from the rest.” They probably wouldn’t know, as only staff members were allowed to tell the house-elves to put something in a students food.

“What’s the other thing?” Proudgott asked.

“He has a soul piece in his scar.”

“A what!?” Flitwick and Proudgott exclaimed at the same time.

“A soul piece,” Hilldrop repeated, “in his scar. I can’t get it out myself, so I called Rockjur Kyargut in. He’ll be here shortly.”


	3. 02: Where There's A Will

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene in the bookstore kind of got away from me. It wasn’t meant to be this long, but I decided not to cut it down to size.

Four goblins entered the room. The one he hadn’t met spoke first, “I hear you speak properly, however little you know of our language. **Deris Rockjur Kyargut**.”

“ **Deris Harrycar Kyarpotter**. -jur, uh **fleerjur**? Or should that be **reskner fleerjur**?”

“It means he is a specialist in his field of study,” Flitwick answered. “And ‘reskner fleerjur’ was correct, if you meant to ask what it meant or how he got the title.”

“What is your field of study?”

“Soul containers. I hear you came by **fleercar** by way of basilisk, and that some of its venom is still within you.”

“Yes?”

Rockgut fiddled with a device that dinged when it was brought near Harry’s forehead. “Hmm, it appears that the basilisk venom has weakened he soul piece. If the phoenix tears weren’t holding it back, it would have probably destroyed it, but then it would have likely killed you too.

“Wait, what soul piece?”

“The one in your scar.”

“There’s a soul piece in my scar!?”

“Well, yes, of course. Don’t be silly boy. Why else would I have been called in? Follow me to the ritual room and we’ll have it out of you.”

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, a horcrux-free Harry was led to Proudgott’s office. The sign on the door said ‘Office of Proudgott’ in English, and the runes saying the same thing in Gobbledegook underneath.

“I have a question. If your name is Proud of Clan Gott, then why does it say ‘Proudgott’ on your office door?”

“When we first learned English, several centuries ago, we noticed that wizards used first and last names when addressing each other without adding ‘of Clan’ or ‘of Family’, and the one that made the first signs in English failed to understand that there was still a space there.”

“Oh.”

“Now though, it’s mostly tradition and the chance to call the wizards stupid for thinking we only have one name each instead of two. Please, take a seat. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to start with your parents’ wills.”

“I wasn’t aware they left one.”

“Yes, well, it was sealed by order of the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot until you asked to see it.” Proudgott gave him a pointed look.

“Oh. I’d like to see my parent’s will please.”

“Very good. And oh look, I just happen to have a few copies of it, here on my desk.”

“What good fortune,” Flitwick said.

“Yes, very good,” Proudgott agreed, handing Harry a copy. “Ignoring all the legalese, as I understand few humans wish to go through it, they left guardianship of you to each other if the other one died, and to your godparents, and then a few family friends if they both died. You aren’t supposed to have contact with your mother’s sister unless you wish it.”

“I really don’t, but I live with her and her family.”

“This sister is of Clan Dursley at #4 Privet Drive? Hmm, you shouldn’t be with them. I’ll look into it, and see about it getting sorted out later on. To continue, 100,000 galleons to Remus Lupin. 100,000 galleons to Sirius Black.”

“Black? But he betrayed them! He was their Secret-Keeper!” Flitwick said.

“Not according to this: 100,000 galleons to Peter Pettigrew, on the condition that our deaths not be by the hands of the Dark Lord Voldemort or his followers, as Peter Pettigrew is our Secret-Keeper. A notarized letter to be sent to the head of the DMLE, the Minister of Magic, and every major and minor newspaper, stating that Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black, was their Secret-Keeper.”

“Would I be able to add anything to that?” Harry asked. “I met Pettigrew earlier this year, just before school let out.”

“My word, he’s alive!?” Flitwick asked.

“He was hiding as Ron’s rat, Scabbers.”

“After the will is finished reading, and before you leave, I’ll let you write your own notarized letter. Let’s see, where were we? Ah, here. Lady Potter’s potions research to Severus Snape, on the condition that he look after her child, you, and make sure he has a happy life.”

Harry snorted, “He’s certainly failed on the second part.”

“I’ll need memory proof of that before I can cancel the bequest, but later. Lady Potter’s charms research to, ah, to you Flitcar. Lord Potter’s transfiguration research to Minerva McGonagall. A small house, with the surrounding woods, was also left to Remus Lupin. A few pieces of jewelry to Alice Longbottom. And the remainder of their wealth, quite a substantial amount might I add, and the family business goes to you. Now, have you ever used a pensieve before?”

“No.”

“Alright, give me a moment to show you. You can use your wand for this, by the way.” Proudgott went through the motions of how to add a memory to a pensieve. “I’ll need your proof that Mr. Snape has broken the condition of your mother’s bequest, and if you’re up to it, the memory of your encounter with the basilisk, and anything that led up to it, then we’ll get to your letter.”

Harry did so, placing his memories of Snape’s treatment of him, as well as the battle with the basilisk, and everything about the diary, the messages on the walls, and Hermione’s discovery that it was a basilisk.

“Thank you. Now, this is charmed parchment. If you write a lie, the lie will glow red. If you write a truth, the truth will glow blue. The remainder of your words, should they not fall under lie or truth, will remain black.”

Harry began writing. When he finished, he handed the parchment over to Proudgott, and asked, “Can I add memories to be sent too?”

“If you’d like,” Proudgott gestured to the pensieve. Harry added his memories of his encounter with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, leaving out the part where Remus turned into a werewolf, and then his attempt to tell Minister Fudge the truth.

When he was done, Flitwick clapped him on the shoulder, “Well, let’s get to Flourish and Blotts, and see if we can get some books before the sun sets, shall we?”

* * *

“All muggleborns and muggle-raised students should get a copy of _A Basic Guide to the Magical World, Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ , and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_ for the historical knowledge wizard children are raised with. And of course _A Guide to Magical Travel_ and _Adalbert Waffling’s Magical Theory_ , if you don’t already have that.”

“It’s was required for first year, I think.”

“Always good to reread it once in a while. Let’s see. Goshawk’s _Standard Book of Spells, Grade Five, Six,_ and _Seven_ should be a good start to help you catch up to the other champions. Her _Book of Spells_ also, but I suggest keeping that one hidden if you get it. The only other copy at Hogwarts is in the Restricted Section. Perhaps the _Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions, Curses and Counter Curses_ , and _Spellman’s Syllabary_ as well. The Syllabary is usually used for Ancient Runes, but hit has quite a bit on why spells work the way they do.

“Ah, _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_. Just as muggles have their fairy tales, wizards have them as well. Beatrix Bloxam’s _Toadstool Tales_ is always good for a laugh, but it tends to make those of weaker constitution nauseous. She thought the Beedle’s tales were unfit for young children and rewrote them, horribly. Well, the choice of books is yours, of course. It’s your money. Feel free to grab whatever books you think might help.”

Harry added the suggested books to a pile and then strolled the aisles of the bookstore, pulling down books that had interesting looking titles. _Common Ailments and Afflictions_ and _The Healer’s Helpmate_ came from the section on healing magic in the hopes that he wouldn’t have to spend so much time in the hospital wing.

“Don’t practice or use those spells on anyone but yourself, or you can get in trouble,” Flitwick warned him. “Oh don’t grab that. Slinkhard is a complete ignoramus. Worse than Lockhart.”

 _Defensive Magical Theory_ went back to the shelves, but _Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts, Self-Defensive Spellwork, The Dark Outs Outsmarted, Where There’s a Wand, There’s a Way, Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions_ , and _Jinxes for the Jinxed_ all joined his pile of books.

“What do you plan to do after Hogwarts?” Flitwick asked.

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “I haven’t really thought about it. An auror, I guess.”

“Mostly paperwork, except for the incidents you find on patrols, unless we’re at war.”

“I don’t really know about any other jobs.”

“Well, there’s healing, though you’d need an apprenticeship to another Healer or Medi-wizard or –witch, dueling, curse-breaking, spell creation, politics, professional quidditch.”

Harry scrunched up his nose at politics. “Professional quidditch would be fun. And dueling and spell creation both sound interesting.”

“Well, the leagues retirement age is fifty, leaving plenty of time for dueling and spell creation. You’ll need some books on arithmancy and runes if you’re going to do spell creation. And these here are good for dueling ideas.”

 _Jiggery Pokery and Hocus Pocus, Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks, Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts_ , and _Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed_ joined the pile. The textbooks for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes were pointed out by Flitwick, so _Ancient Runes Made Easy_ , the basic Hogwarts _Rune Dictionary_ , as well as _The Complete Dictionary of Runes, Book of Numerology_ and _Numerology and Grammatica_ also joined the pile. As did _New Theory of Numerology, Advanced Rune Translation_ and _Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms_ , which he bought two copies each of.

“One of each for Hermione,” he explained. “Otherwise I’d never get them back.”

“That girl should have been a Ravenclaw,” Flitwick muttered.

 _Powers You Never Knew You Had and What to Do with Them Now That You’ve Wised Up_ joined the pile next, followed by _An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms, A Guide to Medieval Sorcery_ , and _Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms_.

A small book in the back of the shelf titled _Lesser Known Curses, Hexes, Jinxes, and Spells_ was put in the pile. Then back over to the history section, where he grabbed Important _Modern Magical Discoveries, Important Ancient Magical Discoveries, A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry, Hogwarts, A History_ just because Hermione was always going on about it, and _An Appraisal of Magical Education_ in Europe.

At Flitwick’s raised eyebrow, Harry said, “I love Hogwarts, but people keep getting in and trying to kill me. It’s…trying.”

“Mmm. Please understand, I’m not allowed to help you in the tournament itself at this point, but there are some lovely books over here that describe dragons, including the ones at Gringotts that we just visited.”

They hadn’t visited any dragons, but Flitwick had mentioned the tournament. “The first task is-?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Flitwick said, interrupting him, “but I thought you might like to look at these books, considering your interest about the dragons while we were in Gringotts.”

Harry didn’t have any interest about the dragons while they were in Gringotts. That meant dragons were indeed part of the first task. _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, Dragons: From East to West, Dragon Flight Maneuvers, How to Use Magic on a Dragon, Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Dragons_ , and _How Dragons Are Trained On Reservations_ joined the pile.

“A good selection. Might I also suggest this one,” Flitwick said, gesturing to _A List of Magic That Has No Effect on Dragons So Don’t Bother Trying Them_. “It also details how to cast the spells in question, and while they don’t effect dragons, they do effect wizards.” It joined the pile.

“If you’re truly interested in dueling, there are some guide books over here.” Formal dueling could wait until later, when his life wasn’t in danger from dragons, but to save himself another trip to Flourish and Blotts – which probably wasn’t going to happen once Dumbledore realized he had left Hogwarts for the day – _Rules and Regulations in Dueling, Greatest Duels Within Britain,_ and a very large book titled _16,807 Formal Dueling Forms_ joined the pile.

“Any more books, and one might mistake you for a Ravenclaw,” Flitwick said. They walked to the end of the aisle, the pile of books floating behind them. “Oh dear.”

“Harry Potter Adventure Books?” Harry asked. “ _Harry Potter and the Vampire Count, Harry Potter and the Fairy Court, Harry Potter and the Mermaid’s Pearl_? What are these?”

“A very small number of a very large group of adventure books written about your life before Hogwarts. They’re portrayed as fact, which is why so many believe you to be a hero.”

“Before Hogwarts I didn’t even know magic existed!”

“Well, we could have Proudcar look into them. If you wish to read them yourself, might I suggest _The Complete Anthology of Harry Potter Adventure Books_? It’s a bit expensive, but is self-updating when they publish a new one.”

Harry nodded, determined to read what people thought he did before Hogwarts, and added it to the pile.

“Well then, let’s go purchase these, and then return to Hogwarts.”


	4. 03: An Apprentice In The Making

The memories in the pensieve ended.

“How old is he?” Slashgott asked. Slashgott was the current King of the Goblins, and Head of the Bank. He and Proudgott shared a set of grandparents.

“Then? Twelve, a few months away from thirteen. Now, he is fourteen.”

“Twelve and he managed to kill a basilisk with a sword,” Slashgott said slowly. “For a goblin, that would be amazing. For a human, a human child at that, that’s absolutely astonishing. Yes, he’s most definitely earned **fleetcar**. Give me the paperwork; I’ll fill it out myself.”

Proudgott smiled. He’d get started on the paperwork for Flitwick to take the Potter boy as his apprentice, right after filing the title paperwork.

* * *

“Before we part ways, Mr. Potter,” Flitwick said in the castle’s entrance hall. “I got you this, while you were looking at books.”

Flitwick handed over a red leather journal with a golden lion etched into the leather. The lion paced back and forth over the front of the cover.

“You can put your name on it, if you like, the instructions are inside, along with instructions to bind the journal, so only you or someone with your blood can read it. The lion will stop moving if there are any muggles around, and it can expand to hold up to ten thousand pages without growing any larger than it already is, though it only has 200 pages in it right now. I myself have several. I’ve used them over the years to keep track of my thoughts and research.”

“Oh wow, thank you!”

“Think nothing of it, Mr. Potter. And as you purchased several more books than a school trunk can possibly hold, I’ll have one of the house-elves send a bookshelf to your dorm room.”

“Thank you sir, very much.”

“I’ll get back to you on the tournament, when I find any new information.”

Harry nodded, and then headed up the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room, while Flitwick headed towards the kitchens.

* * *

“Good afternoon, Mr. Potter,” McGonagall caught him right outside the portrait of the Fat Lady. “I trust you had an educational outing with Professor Flitwick?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Very well. Head on inside now. Your friends, er, well, Ms. Granger at least, has been looking for you.”

“Yes ma’am.” Harry entered the common room, and saw Hermione sitting alone at a corner table. He joined her.

“Harry! Where have you been all day?” Hermione asked, giving him a hug.

“Out with Professor Flitwick. We went to Diagon Alley, and I may now rival you for Gryffindor with the Most Books. By the way, I got you a present.”

“A present?”

“Well, more like three presents,” Harry said, pulling out one of the copies of each _New Theory of Numerology, Advanced Rune Translation_ and _Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms_. Hermione gasped as he handed them to her.

“Oh, Harry, you shouldn’t have.”

“It’s alright Hermione. Professor Flitwick took me to Gringotts too. My parents’ will was finally read, and I’ve inherited quite a bit of money. Besides, if I hadn’t bought you your own copies, you’d have taken mine and I’d have never gotten them back.” He gave her a teasing smile. She huffed, but opened _New Theory of Numerology_ and began pursuing it.

“I’ll be right back,” Harry said, “I’m going to put the rest of the books in my dorm room.” Harry headed up the stairs, and peeked into the room he shared with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean, none of whom were in there at the moment.

He gave a sigh of relief, able to avoid another argument with Ron, and moved over to his bed. On the other side there was already a bookshelf, the one Flitwick had promised him. He filled the shelves with his new purchases, and with his older textbooks, to make grabbing them much easier. He placed the journal Flitwick had given him underneath his mattress.

He grabbed _Dragons: From East to West_ and rejoined Hermione.

* * *

Flitwick entered the kitchens and was almost immediately pounced on by several house-elves, demanding to be able to help him somehow.

“First, I shall need a bookshelf taken to the fourth year Gryffindor boy’s dorm, and placed beside Mr. Potter’s bed.”

“Dobby calls dibs!” Dobby yelled and disappeared before anyone could protest. The other house-elves groaned in disappointment, and a few looked near tears.

“Second, may I ask if anyone knows about potions placed within Mr. Potter’s food or drink?”

“Winky knows,” Winky said, sniffling. “Greasy Professor Sir asks Winky to coat Harry Potter Sir’s plate with potion. Greasy Professor Sir gives Winky butterbeer in return.”

“Did he now?” Flitwick asked. It seemed that a trip to see Professor Snape would be next on his list. “Well, from now on, regardless of what anyone gives you, any of you, in return, there are no potions to go into Mr. Potter’s food or drink or anything else without my permission. Is that clear?”

“Yes Professor Flittywick,” the house-elves said. Winky hiccuped right after.

“Thank you.” Now, to see to Severus.

* * *

“Hermione?” Harry asked.

“Hmm?” Hermione’s head remained buried in her new book.

“If I were to find out what the first task was, do you think it would be the proper thing to do, to tell the other champions about it?”

“Well, I suppose so,” Hermione said. “I mean, it depends on how dangerous the task would be. I know you very well, Harry Potter. If one of them got hurt and you hadn’t told them what was coming, you would blame yourself.” Hermione paused for a moment, and then asked, “Do you know what the first task will be?”

“Unfortunately,” Harry said, tapping the front cover of his book. Hermione’s eyes widened in horror as she mouthed the title.

“Dra-dra-dragons?” she whispered. “Are they mad!?”

“Probably. Do you have any spare parchment on you?”

Hermione nodded, and began digging for it. She handed it over to him, and he began to write.

* * *

“You know Severus, it was never really Dumbledore that Voldemort was afraid of.”

“Filius? What are you doing here?”

“He was wary of Dumbledore, yes, but it was _I_ that was his most vicious opponent among the staff. Did you know, it wasn’t dark rituals that resulted in the loss of his nose, but one of my cutting curses? And he never did quite regain full control of his left arm, after I detached it with a blasting curse.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I want you to know, Severus, _exactly_ who you will be up against if I ever find out about you putting potions in any students food again. I don’t care why you did it, or on whose behalf you did it on, but it will not happen again.”

Flitwick had his wand out, and his eyes were glowing. Snape took a few steps back, swallowing nervously.

“And, if you even _look_ at Harry Potter the wrong way again, I’ll let you get an up close and personal look at the more dangerous spells in my repertoire. Am I CLEAR?”

“Y-yes sir, vuh-very clear!” Despite towering over the other man, Snape felt like a small child again, standing in front of the boogeyman that was telling him exactly how he would die.

“Good. I’m glad we had this conversation. Have a lovely evening, Severus.”

Flitwick disappeared into the shadows, leaving an unspoken threat behind that Flitwick could come from anywhere at any time. Snape pulled at the collar of his shirt, making the very wise decision to avoid Harry Potter as much as possible.

* * *

Cedric Diggory was surprised to see Hedwig land in front of him, and hold out her leg. “Well, hello there. Your Harry’s owl, yeah?” He pulled off the note with his name on it, noticing that the other two were addressed to Krum and Delacour. Before he could say anything else, she took off, most likely to deliver her other letters.

“Well, what’s it say?” Cho asked.

_Cedric,_

_I found out what the first task is. I won’t tell you how, but I thought you should know what it is. I’m telling the other champions too, so that we’re all on even footing._

_Its dragons._

_I’m not sure what exactly the first task entails, but there will definitely be dragons. I recently went on a trip to Diagon Alley with Professor Flitwick and picked up some new books, several of which are on dragons if you wish to pursue them. I know at least three of them don’t have copies in the Hogwarts library._

_Harry_

Cedric reread the note to make sure he had read it right, and then started hyperventilating.

“Cedric!? What’s wrong!? What did Harry write!?” Cho picked up the note, it having fallen from Cedric’s hand, and then shrieked.

It was lucky that they were in a secluded spot by the lake and no one was around to hear her.

“Dragons? They’ll have you up against dragons?”

“How can they expect us to do that!?” Cedric yelled. “It takes several of their handlers to deal with just one, and they’re going to pit us up against one by ourselves!? Are they insane!?”

“I wish you never entered this tournament,” Cho said, tears coming to her eyes. “I know the money would help us, but it’s not worth your life.”

“Ma-maybe he’s wrong about the dragons? Or – or – or maybe it’s a prank! He’s friends with the Weasley twins, right? Or at least their younger brother?”

Cho shook her head. “Flitwick went with him to Diagon Alley. He was probably the one who pointed the books out. He’s always doing things like that, telling us where to avoid looking for information, only for the information we want to find be where he told us to avoid. He probably did the same thing to Harry.”

“But dragons?”

* * *

Harry’s next potions class went surprisingly smooth. Snape seemed content to ignore his very existence, and since Harry had partnered with Neville, allowing Hermione to partner with Ron, Snape was ignoring Neville too.

Judging by the haggard looks of the other champions, and Cedric’s girlfriend Cho, at lunch, they weren’t having nearly as good of a day. Harry felt a bit sorry for them, as it was his letters that probably ruined their sleep that night – it had certainly ruined his, but he was used to going on little sleep – but he knew he had done the right thing in warning them.

Charms provided another surprise, when Flitwick said, “Mr. Potter, please stay behind.” The rest of the students cleared out.

“Sir?”

“I have here, a set of paperwork, and I want you to think very carefully about signing it. It will mean, for one, never going back to the Dursleys, or suffering through class with Professor Snape again. However, it takes, on average, fifteen years for a goblin.

“The quickest a human has ever done such a thing was in twenty years. If you manage to do it equally fast, and most take much longer, there will only be about fifteen years left for you to be able to play quidditch professionally.

“On the other hand, you will be well prepared for dueling and spell crafting, and Gringotts will likely be willing to offer you a job as a curse-breaker at the end of it.”

“What is it?”

“An apprenticeship, with me. The paperwork, formally giving you the right to fleercar has come through. As a human with a goblin title, you are eligible for a goblin apprenticeship. Do not enter into such a thing lightly, Mr. Potter. It will give me almost unrestricted control over your life and education, and you will come to hate me throughout the training.”

“But I’ll live right? I’ll survive the tournament?”

“And much more, if I train you properly, and if you’re willing to learn. Normally, with you being a contestant in this tournament, I wouldn’t be able to do this, but a goblin apprenticeship supersedes all Ministry-sponsered events, thanks to a treaty signed after one of the wars.”

“Where do I sign?”


	5. 04: The Potters Speak Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is now an AU of this story that starts in this chapter. If you would like to read that AU (Titled _Snape's Comeuppance_ ), read this chapter until the Daily Prophet article that starts with **The Potter's Speak Out** , and then [click here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9465776/chapters/21414467). There will be a link at the end of that story to the chapter that it should be continued on in this story.

“Well now,” Flitwick said, as they finished the paperwork, “all we need to do is get to the Goblet of Fire. While I’m able to bend the rules to take you as my apprentice, I’ll still need to put myself as your school for the Tournament.”

“And you need the Goblet of Fire?”

“Oh yes, I’ll need to drop a piece of parchment in with the changes noted on it. The only problem is it’s in an undisclosed location, being guarded at all times since your name came out.”

“I wish they had thought to guard it round the clock before my name came out of it. Is it still in Hogwarts?”

“Supposedly. It’s not supposed to leave the premises during the tournament.”

“Then all we need is the map.”

“Map?”

Harry pulled it from his pocket, and laid it out on the desk. “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”

“Fascinating,” Flitwick said, watching the lines on the map draw out the castle. “And it shows everyone as well! Astounding. Where did you get this?”

“Fred and George gave it to me last year, they nicked it from Filch, who in turn confiscated it from my father or one of his friends. They’re the ones that made it.”

“Ah, it’s likely here,” Flitwick said, pointing to several names Harry didn’t recognize in one of the empty classrooms. “They’re aurors. I can sneak in the back way here if you can cause a distraction out this way.”

“Just let me get Fred and George.”

* * *

Flitwick waited until he heard several loud bangs and saw the aurors leave out the other door on the map. He snuck in quietly, and checked the note one last time.

 

_Harry James Potter_

_Apprentice to “Filius” Flitcar Kyarwick of Grueck Parzna Grinbo Kyargott_

 

He dropped the note in the Goblet of Fire and made his way back to his office, where Harry and the Weasley Twins were waiting for him.

“What was your distraction?”

“Fireworks,” Fred answered.

“We’ve been working on them for a few months now,” George added.

“They’re clearly not ready for production yet.”

“Clearly.”

“Oh?” Flitwick asked.

“They caused an explosion,” Harry said. “Explosions actually. I mean, technically that’s what fireworks are supposed to do, but with more color, and less smoke.”

“We’re working on it,” the twins said together.

“I look forward to seeing the final product,” Flitwick said.

* * *

**_The Potters Speak Out!_ **

**_Notarized Letters Found In Will_ **

 

_Recently the wills of Lord and Lady Potter were read to their son, Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. The notifications of bequests went out shortly afterward, including one to every newspaper outlet with a request to print the letters in their entirety. Along with the letters from the late Lord and Lady Potter, young Harry Potter wrote a letter as well. The letters are notarized, and completely truthful, since all the words are in blue._

_To Whom It May Concern,_

_Shortly after the birth of our son, Harry James, we found out that the Dark Lord Voldemort was targeting us specifically, along with the Longbottoms. Both of our families went into hiding. While we do not know how the Longbottoms have chosen to hide, we have chosen the Fidelius Charm._

_The Fidelius Charm will hide our location within a Secret-Keeper. Our first choice for Secret-Keeper was Sirius Black, James’ best friend. However, Sirius believed that he would be too obvious. He suggested one of our other friends to be the Secret-Keeper, while he drew the attention of the opposing side._

_If we were killed by the Dark Lord known as Voldemort, or any of his followers, while we were in hiding, then our Secret-Keeper betrayed us. Let it be known that Peter Pettigrew will be forever an enemy of the Potter Family and their allies if that was the case, because he is our Secret-Keeper._

_Knowing that there are some people who do not like to believe the truth, we have written this down in this notarized letter, and have had copies prepared to send to every newspaper outlet, as well as the head of the DMLE, the Minister of Magic, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Britain’s representative in the International Confederation of Wizards._

_Sincerely yours,_

 

_James Potter_

_Lord of the Potter Family_

 

_Lily Potter_

_Lady of the Potter Family_

 

_To Whom It May Concern,_

_I realize that the thought of Sirius Black being innocent of his crimes is unbelievable. After all, everyone believes he betrayed my parents, and then tracked down and killed Peter Pettigrew and over a dozen muggles, before escaping Azkaban last year to kill me. But none of this is actually true._

_As my parents’ letter stated, Peter Pettigrew was the true Secret-Keeper of my parents, while Sirius Black played the part of decoy. The night of Halloween, he visited the home of Peter Pettigrew, and not finding him there, or any sign of struggle, Sirius decided to check on my parents._

_It was too late. By the time he arrived, Hagrid had already collected me on Dumbledore’s orders. He offered Hagrid the use of his motorcycle, charmed against crashing, decided to track down Pettigrew. Only, when he finally found Pettigrew, the other man began screaming about Sirius having betrayed my parents, before cutting off his finger, and blowing up the street, escaping into the sewers below in his animagus form, that of a rat._

_If at all possible, I would like the Daily Prophet to reprint the photo of the Weasleys’ from the article about them winning the drawing last year. It was that copy of the Prophet that Minister Fudge, at Azkaban for I reason I don’t know, handed to Sirius. In that picture, you will notice that my friend, Ron Weasley, has a rat._

_That rat has been in their family for years, first as his older brother Percy’s rat, then as Ron’s rat. No one noticed anything strange about the rat, because all he did was eat, sleep, and one memorable time, defended us from other students by biting them. He was a good pet rat._

_But he was not actually a rat, but Peter Pettigrew in his animagus form, waiting for information on his master, Voldemort. How is it possible that I know all of this? Sirius and Pettigrew revealed it to me at the end of the last school year. Sirius, and then Defense Professor Remus Lupin, revealed Pettigrew to myself and my friends Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley._

_Pettigrew begged for his life from Sirius and Remus, but found no mercy from them. He then turned to the three of us, and began trying to claim that he should be spared because he was a good pet. Ron and Hermione had no mercy for him either. I did want him to live, not because I didn’t think he shouldn’t die for what he did, but because I wanted my godfather, Sirius Black, to be free, and knew we would need some pretty big evidence to convince people of his innocence._

_Unfortunately, Pettigrew escaped, and the dementors, supposedly placed at Hogwarts to protect us, swarmed around us. I passed out, and woke up in the Hospital Wing. The Minister was there, to assure me that Sirius Black would be dealt with. I, and my friends, tried telling him that Sirius was innocent and Pettigrew was the real culprit, but another professor had convinced him that Sirius must have confounded us. The Minister chose to believe that professor, and was fully prepared to murder my innocent godfather._

_If not for my godfather’s mysterious escape from the castle, which the professor from before claimed was somehow my fault, Sirius’ life would have ended that night and no one would ever know the truth. Despite his escape, the dementors placed at Hogwarts were sent back to Azkaban. Apparently, despite their attempt to kill everyone at a quidditch game, it was only now that they were considered too dangerous to be around students._

_I have requested that this be sent to all the same people my parents’ letter is being sent to. It is my sincerest hope that Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew get the justice they both so deeply deserve._

_Sincerely,_

 

_Harry Potter_

_Heir of the Potter Family_

 

_Both letters have been printed in their entirety. To see the picture referenced in the second letter, turn to page 8. For more evidence in the case of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, turn to page 15-19._

_-Jacintha McKinnon, Daily Prophet_

* * *

“Fifteen to Nineteen, wow,” Harry said.

“Yes, Jacintha was a raven during her time at Hogwarts. She was always good at researching things. It’s not surprising that she waited a few days to research the events written about in the letters before writing the article about them,” Flitwick said. “Now, let’s finish going through your third year spells.”

They had finished going over the first and second year spells, and were almost done with the third year spells. Once Flitwick knew what Harry knew, he’d be able to teach him better. The finished off the last few spells.

“Ah, yes, good, good. Are there any other spells you picked up?”

“Expecto Patronum,” Harry cast. Prongs galloped around the room before returning to Harry’s side.

“Amazing! I wasn’t aware you could make a fully corporeal Patronus. When did you learn it?”

“Last year. My first fully corporeal one was during the game against Ravenclaw.”

“Ah, yes. I had heard Mr. Malfoy and his friends got in trouble for trying to sabotage the team, but I hadn’t heard about the Patronus.”

“You weren’t there? I thought you always attended Ravenclaw games.”

“I usually do, but Gringotts required my expertise on something, so I was gone for the day.”

A cat Patronus joined them in the room. McGonagall’s voice came from it, “Mr. Potter is needed for the Weighing of the Wands. My Patronus shall lead you there.”

“Well then, I suppose we should follow little Minnie, shouldn’t we?” The cat did look quite a bit like Professor McGonagall’s animagus form. Harry grinned and nodded.

* * *

“Do you mind if I take Harry aside for a moment for a small interview,” Rita Skeeter said. Harry didn’t like the smile she wore.

“I don’t see why not,” Bagman said.

“Because I have not given permission for my apprentice to be alone with her,” Flitwick said. “Interviews should perhaps be given by the willing participants, rather than the one forced to be in it or lose their magic.”

“But he’s the youngest champion in the history of the Tri-Wizard Tournament,” Rita protested.

“Only because someone is trying to kill him. Again. Mr. Ollivander, don’t you have a reason for being here?”

“Yes, yes, let’s get on with it shall we?” Ollivander said. “Mr. Krum, let’s start with you. Hornbeam wood, and a dragon heartstring core. A bit thicker than normal. Gregorovich?”

“Yes.”

Ollivander moved down to Fleur.

* * *

It was only after filing the paperwork for Harry’s apprenticeship that Proudgott remembered about the letters that Harry hadn’t received. He groaned, and marked it on his to-do list, along with looking into why Harry was placed with the Dursleys, and just who was writing the Harry Potter adventure books.

Proudgott really felt that he was too old for this job, especially considering the surprises and problems that Harry kept dropping in his lap. It was a pity his son was too young to take over for him yet.

* * *

“Hey Harry, wait up!” Cedric called out. They had just been let out after the Prophet photographer had gotten photos and Rita had gotten a small bio written for each of them. Flitwick had confiscated her Quick Quotes Quill and informed her that the full might of Gringotts would bear down on her if she printed anything about his apprentice that was untrue. She had left in a snit.

“Cedric? Oh, hi,” Harry suddenly felt awkward as the other three champions joined him.

“We wanted to thank you,” Cedric said, “for the warning about the, you know.”

“Oh, that’s okay. It was the right thing to do. I didn’t want any of you to be caught off guard by the, well, you know.”

“We were alzo wondering, if ze offer was ztill open to look at your books?” Fleur asked.

“Oh, yeah, of course. I just need to go grab them from my dorm.”


	6. 05: Preparing for First Task

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s was my brother’s birthday yesterday. Just two more months to go for mine.

“Here we are,” Harry said, placing the books on the table the other three champions had commandeered at the Library. “ _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, Dragons: From East to West, Dragon Flight Maneuvers, How to Use Magic on a Dragon, Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Dragons, How Dragons Are Trained On Reservations_ , and _A List of Magic That Has No Effect on Dragons So Don’t Bother Trying Them_.”

“Why the last one?” Cedric asked.

Harry shrugged, “Flitwick suggested it was a good book for spells, and if we look through it, we’ll know what not to cast.

“Zat is a surprizingly good idea,” Fleur said, picking the book up for herself. The four champions remained in the library well into the night.

* * *

_**A Sit Down With The Four Champions** _

 

_Recently as part of the Weighing of the Wands ceremony, I got to sit down with each of the champions in the Tri-Wizard Tournament._

_Durmstrang’s champion is Viktor Krum, the seeker for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team earlier this summer at the Quidditch World Cup, held here in England._

_Beauxbatons’ champion is Fleur Delacour, a pretty girl, and daughter of the head of the French DMLE._

_Hogwarts’ eldest champion is Cedric Diggory, whose father works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures._

_Hogwarts’ youngest champion is Harry Potter, famed Boy-Who-Lived. I was, unfortunately, unable to secure a private sit down with the youngest champion in the tournament’s history, due to interference._

_I will, of course, continue to work towards obtaining that private sit down, and bring you all the juicy details you desire._

_-Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet_

“I don’t have any plans to do a _private sit down_ ,” Harry said. “That woman was creepy.”

“Poor baby,” Hermione said, without much sympathy.

“I bet you loved that, didn’t you Potter?”

Harry glanced over his shoulder, but didn’t see Malfoy.

“Was that not Malfoy? It sounded like Malfoy.”

“It was Ron,” Hermione said with a sigh. Ron stood behind her, face turning a horrible crimson color.

“Ron, I think you need to go to the hospital wing. You’re starting to sound like Malfoy.”

Before Ron could open his mouth again, Fred (or George) clapped a hand over his mouth, while George (or Fred) started pulling him towards the doors.

“We’ll get him there safely,” one of them said.

“Probably,” the other said.

“Eventually,” they said together.

“Well, we won’t be seeing him for a few hours at least,” Hermione said.

“Did something happen to your teeth?” Harry asked.

“Malfoy got me with a teeth-growing curse. Madam Pomfrey let me decide when to stop them shrinking when she fixed them.”

“Why that little…I’ll wring his ferrety neck.”

“Don’t bother,” Hermione said. “Ron already defended my honor, and got detention with Snape to boot.”

“If he’s lucky, Pomfrey’ll keep him all day.”

“And then Snape will just be worse when he does show up to detention.”

“True.”

* * *

_Dear Apprentice Potter,_

_I have finished collecting the available information that you requested during your last trip to Gringotts. I have sent the open times in my schedule to your Master, Flitcar Kyarwick, so that he may find the time in your training schedule to bring you here._

_Sincerely,_

_Proudcar Kyargott_

“I see you’ve received yours,” Flitwick said.

“Yes, but how come I’m receiving them now, when I wasn’t before?”

“A question more suited for Proudcar I think. We’re taking a break from our usual Saturday schedule to go to Gringotts.”

The usual Saturday schedule was for Harry to dodge all the incoming spellfire from Flitwick, and whichever seventh year Ravenclaw he had picked for the day. He wouldn’t really miss it.

“Instead, we’ll do follow Saturday’s schedule tomorrow.” Harry groaned, and placed his head in his arms. “I told you you would come to hate me, didn’t I?” Flitwick asked with an amused smile. “Now up you get. The quicker we get this over with, the more time you have to study later.”

“Yes sir.”

* * *

“ **Earfell Harrycar, Flitcar** ,” Proudgott said.

“Pleasant Greetings to you as well,” Flitwick said. Harry repeated him.

“What would you like to start with, Harrycar? The letters or the books?”

“The books,” Harry said. After reading each one of his dragon books twice, he had opened the Harry Potter Adventure Book anthology. The writing wasn’t that bad, although it certainly seemed familiar. But the books themselves were touted as fact, rather than fiction, so everyone who had read them apparently thought they were true.

“Very well. The publishers, Obscurus Books, refused to give up the authors’ names.”

“Names?”

“Yes, the head publisher did let that slip. Accidentally, judging by the look on his face. There are at least two authors. I’m still looking into it, but it appears that the authors are not paid through Gringotts itself. I have frozen the business accounts of Obscurus Books for the time being, since they are using your name and image without permission.

“I believe it will only be a short time before they crack and give us the names. In the meantime, I have sent the issue onto the Gringotts legal department. You have not received any royalties for the use of your name and image. While we goblins could care less about a wizard losing money, a titled goblin is another thing. They will very shortly rue the day they decided to publish the books themselves.”

“Thank you,” Harry said. “And the letters.”

“Your legal guardian is permitted to keep your mail from you if they believe there is sufficient need. Even if taken to court, they would not be asked why they kept it from you, but only if they believed they needed to.”

“But if the Dursleys’ knew I had money sitting in a bank somewhere, they would have taken it. There’s no way they knew about the letters.”

“I assure you, there a safeguards in place to prevent someone from stealing their charge’s inheritance out from under them. However, neither Vernon nor Petunia Dursley were your guardians.”

“What? How? I lived there, so they had to be.”

“Yes, you lived there, but only because you were placed there by your legal guardian, Albus Dumbledore, who retained your guardianship despite not having physical custody of you. So long as he felt there was sufficient need to keep your mail from you, he was legally entitled to do so. That’s all a moot point now, however, since Flitcar is now your legal guardian.”

“And all I’m keeping from you is the fan-mail, although if you’d like that…” Flitwick said.

Harry scrunched up his nose, “No thank you.”

“There are currently six goblins going through it all, checking for curses, potions, and the like, and then send out a form letter of thanks. Anyone stupid enough to try something will find themselves in trouble. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss with me today?”

“How was Dumbledore my legal guardian?”

“He was named in your parents will. Unfortunately, it appears that your parents didn’t inform anyone but their witnesses about the ‘no contact with the Dursleys’ clause.”

“Their witnesses?”

“Sirius Black and Frank Longbottom. Mr. Black was carted off to Azkaban, and Mr. Longbottom is currently in the long-term care ward at St. Mungo’s.”

“Any word on the Ministry’s reaction to the article my and my parents’ letters appeared in?”

“The Ministry, as usual, is a slow travelling cog. They are, last I heard, still researching the information from McKinnon’s own research. When they finish that, there will likely be a trial. The Black Family accountant has already started contact with Mr. Black, so that he is able to attend when the trial finally happens.”

“The Ministry would love to be able to say they gave him a chance but he didn’t show up.”

“Not this time. Slashgott would demand heads start rolling.”

* * *

That Monday, Hermione joined them in the library at what had quickly become dubbed the Champion’s Table. Cho joined them on Tuesday. The students took that to mean that the table was open to company. Three students had to visit the hospital wing before they realized it didn’t mean that at all.

Two days before the first task, Fleur was the last to join them, pale as a sheet. “I ‘ad ‘oped you were wrong, ‘arry,” she said. “Madame Maxime confirmed it for me zis morning. We are to battle dragons.”

“Karkaroff as well,” Viktor added, not quite as pale-looking as Fleur but close. “They will haff one dragon for each of us. A Green, a Short-Snout, a Fireball, and a Horntail.”

“A ‘orntail!” Fleur exclaimed. “Why a ‘orntail?”

“The others aren’t nearly as dangerous,” Cedric agreed. “Why didn’t they get a Ridgeback or an Opaleye? Why did they have to give us a Horntail?”

“Oh, I’d love it if it were a Ridgeback,” Harry said. “It might be Norbert then.” Hermione smiled, but the others looked confused.

“Norbert?” Cho asked.

“In our first year, Hagrid found a dragon’s egg, and hatched it in his hut,” Hermione said.

“His _wooden_ hut!?” Cho said incredulously.

“Yep. Named it Norbert just after it set his beard on fire,” Harry added. “We didn’t want him to get in any trouble for having the dragon, so we contacted Ron’s brother Charlie, who works with dragons, and then smuggled Norbert up to the Astronomy Tower.”

“Wait, that actually happened?” Cedric asked. “I overheard the Slytherin prefects complaining about Malfoy losing them points by claiming you had a dragon.”

“Yes, well, he found the letter in one of Ron’s textbooks after he came to the Hospital Wing to taunt him,” Hermione said.

Viktor shook his head, “That boy has issues.”

“Yes he does,” Harry agreed. “And he gets away with nearly everything.”

“Including cursing me in the face,” Hermione grumbled.

“’e didn’t get away with ze dragon ztory,” Fleur said.

“Yeah, but we all got detention in the forest.”

“The Forbidden Forest?” Cedric asked.

“Yep, and while there was something killing the unicorns, with only Hagrid and Fang for protection.”

“Are they nuts?” Cho asked. “Admittedly, Hagrid is very large and intimidating, and probably hard to kill, but Fang’s a ruddy coward. Everyone knows that. Su Li’s kneazle kitten can make him turn tail and run away for Merlin’s sake!”

“Did you at least catch ze zing ‘arming ze unicorns?” Fleur asked.

“Eventually, at the end of the year. Turns out Voldemort was possessing Professor Quirrell. He was the reason my broom went crazy at the Quidditch game too.”

“And using the unicorn’s blood to keep himself alive. Smart,” Cho said. Then she shuddered. “But disturbing.”

“And this all happened in your first year?” Viktor asked. “What happened in the other years? A nundu attack!?”

“Close,” Hermione said. “Second year was a basilisk. Thankfully, no one saw the eyes directly, so we were only petrified rather than killed. Poor Myrtle wasn’t so lucky.”

“Moaning Myrtle? She was killed by the basilisk?” Cho asked.

Harry nodded, “When it was opened fifty years ago, by Voldemort as a student.”

“’e waz a ztudent here!?” Fleur exclaimed.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle,” Harry said, as Hermione wrote the name in the air with her wand. She then rearranged the letters to spell out ‘I am Lord Voldemort’.

“Sacre bleu!”

“And then last year was the dementors swarming the pitch during our game,” Cedric said. “Was the article in the Prophet right about Black? Was he really innocent?”

“Yeah. Unfortunately, our proof managed to escape in the confusion. Dementors attacked again. Nearly killed me and Sirius.”

“Zis country iz a death trap!” Fleur said.

“Yes it is,” Hermione said. “And with Harry’s unfortunate luck, we always end up in the middle of it, and – oh, oh no. Harry.”

Hermione paled and gave Harry a terrified look, setting the others on edge.

“What is it Hermione?”

“The Hungarian Horntail is the most dangerous dragon known to mankind. It can take up to thirty dragon handlers just to deal with one, and they’re trained on how to do it. And with your horrible luck Harry, just who do you think is getting the Horntail.”

Harry paled.

“What a story that would be,” Cho said, “ _Youngest Champion Ever Faces Most Dangerous Dragon Ever_. It’ll have nothing to do with any luck, Hermione.”

“Bagman’s got a big gambling problem, and even bigger gambling debts,” Cedric said. “The odds of Harry facing and surviving that dragon would have the biggest payout possible for him. And I’m pretty sure my dad mentioned how good Bagman was at Charms.”

“Then we’ll just haff to make sure that one of us gets the horntail instead,” Viktor said. He paused for a moment and then asked, “Does anyone know how we are chosen to face dragons?”


	7. 06: Dealing With Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did about five minutes of research for each dragon habitat. If I got anything wrong, it’s because the internet lied to me (and also I only spent five minutes researching).

On the day of the first task, breakfast came with a surprise. Sirius Black strolled into the Great Hall, carrying papers detailing his pardon from the crimes he was accused of. Harry didn’t notice, until several shrieks echoed in the hall.

“Sirius!” Harry said excitedly, rushing over to the man and giving him a hug. “What are you doing here?”

The students in the hall, save for the ones that knew of Sirius’ innocence, looked confused, wondering why Harry Potter would hug the man who betrayed his parents.

“I’ve been recently pardoned,” Sirius said loudly, giving a pointed look to the students that had leaned forward to listen in. “Something about a couple of letters printed in the Daily Prophet. I know I’m probably a little early,” he said as he floated the papers over to Dumbledore, but the other champions will have their families here, and I didn’t want to be late.”

“Indeed they are,” Dumbledore said. He looked at the other three champions. “Your families are waiting in the ante room, just through that door. The rest of you, I believe, have class.” The students shuffled out of the Great Hall, and the Champions joined their families.

Just before Sirius and Harry joined them, Dumbledore said, “I was wondering if I might have a word with you after the task.”

“Assuming I survive, Headmaster,” Harry said.

“Don’t talk like that,” Sirius said. “Of course you’re going to survive.” He paused a moment. “But if you don’t, I promise to kill every adult in this school on your behalf. Except Snape.”

“Snape? I’d prefer you didn’t kill Professor Flitwick. Or McGonagall. Why Snape?”

“Snape shall be tied to a chair and forced to listen to muggle children’s songs. My particular favorite is _The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round_.” Sirius gave him a smile.

* * *

“Well, now that we’re all here,” Bagman said, when the champions entered the tent. “The, uh, handlers are just now preparing for whichever of you goes first. We’ll decide the order you go in, and what you will face, with this.” He whipped out a small cloth sack and opened it. “No peeking. Just reach inside, and grab one. Just one, mind you. Ladies first.”

Fleur pulled out a small model dragon with the number three around its neck. It growled in her hand and hissed at her.

“The Chinese Fireball,” Bagman said. “Cedric, you next.”

Cedric pulled out a dragon with the number one on it.

“Looks like you’ll be going first against the Swedish Short-Snout. Viktor?”

Viktor stuck his hand in the bag and dug around. He made a hiss of pain, and then pulled out a dragon with the number four around its neck. He gave it a smug looking grimace as he squeezed it.

“The Hungarian Horntail,” Bagman said, looking disappointed and glancing at Harry. “You’ll be fourth, leaving you as number two, Harry.”

He held out the bag, and Harry pulled out the remaining model dragon with a number two around its neck. Harry gave a sigh of relief.

“The Welsh Green,” Bagman said. Harry gave Viktor a thankful look. “Now, I’ll just go out to see if we’re ready. When you hear the sound,” Bagman waved his wand giving off a small ‘boom’ sound, “which will be much louder, you will come out one at a time. Cedric for the first, Harry for the second, Fleur for the third, and Viktor for the fourth. You’ll be tasked with collecting the Golden Egg. Everyone understand?”

The champions nodded.

“Alright then. We’ll call for you soon.” They four of them were left alone in the tent.

“Thank you so much Viktor,” Harry said.

“It was nothing,” Viktor said. “But I think they did charm it for you. It bit and scratched me to try to avoid being picked up.”

Fleur said something fast paced in French that sounded very unkind. The first boom sounded.

“Here I go,” Cedric said. “Wish me luck.”

“Good Luck,” the other three chorused.

* * *

Cedric stepped into the arena, keeping his eyes on the Short-Snout. The dragon, similarly, kept her eyes on him.

“Our first champion, Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts, will face the Swedish-Short Snout,” Bagman announced.

Cedric glanced at a few of the boulders dotted around the arena. Upon first hearing about the dragons, he had planned to use transfigure something into a dog to distract the dragon. Harry’s copy of _Dragons: From East to West_ held a lot of useful information. The Short-Snout, for example, lived in the uninhabited mountains of northern Sweden and loved to dine on deer.

A quick transfiguration, and there were several deer standing on the opposite side of the arena from the nest of eggs. The dragon huffed, smoke coming from its nose. It glanced back and forth between Cedric and the deer.

“A decent attempt at transfiguration, but it doesn’t look like the dragon is going for it,” Bagman said.

Cedric frowned, and cast another transfiguration at a boulder. Suddenly, the dragon had competition for its meal in the form of a cougar. With new competition for its favorite food, the dragon turned its attention completely to the animals.

“And the dragon goes for the new addition!”

Cedric ran as quickly and as quietly as he could towards the nest, hoping not to draw the dragons attention. He grabbed the golden egg just as the dragon picked up the cougar and threw it into the air, blowing fire on it. Cedric made his way back to the entrance of the arena, but the dragon had spotted him near the nest, and went back to ignoring the deer.

Cedric made it out of the arena with a few singes. The dragon roared in rage and smacked one of the boulders with its tail. A piece came off and smacked Cedric in the arm.

“And Cedric has the egg! He finished in six minutes, twenty seconds.”

* * *

“Well, ‘e’z not dead,” Fleur said.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed.

The second boom sounded and Harry winced.

“Good luck ‘arry,” Fleur said, kissing him on the cheek. “You will need it to beat me.”

“Here’s to hoping Dobby’s come through,” Harry said.

“That house-elf luffs you,” Viktor said. “He’ll haff succeeded.”

“Of courze, ‘e will,” Fleur said, giggling. “Anyzing for ‘iz Great ‘arry Potter zir.”

* * *

“Our next champion, also of Hogwarts, Harry Potter will face the Common Welsh Green.”

Harry took a deep breath and entered the arena. The dragon let off a jet of flame into the air. Harry swallowed nervously. He began walking forwards, slowly, with his wand in his pocket and his hands in the air.

“He’s, uh, walking towards the dragon,” Bagman said, sounding confused.

According to _Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland_ the Welsh Green was not just a dragon. The ancestors of the Green had apparently mated with snakes. Harry wasn’t sure how they managed that, and he didn’t really want to know either. The important thing was, Greens could understand Parseltongue. They, along with the Peruvian Vipertooths, were the only dragons that did.

“ _Greetings Great Mother_ ,” Harry hissed out. “ _I mean you no harm_.”

“He’s hissing at the dragon?” Bagman said. The students in the stands began to murmur.

“ _And what is it you do mean to do then, little ape?_ ” the dragon asked.

“ _As I understand it, the place where you make your roost does not have an abundance of the mountain sheep common to the place we humans call Wales._ ”

“Is he…is he actually talking to the dragon?” Bagman asked.

“ _This is correct, little ape._ ”

“ _In return for the false, golden-colored egg that was placed in your nest, I will give you as many of these sheep as you require to eat your fill._ ”

“ _My appetite is mighty, little ape. How do I know you can hold up your end of the bargain?_ ”

“Dobby,” Harry said, quietly so that the other students and the judges couldn’t hear him. The only indication that dobby could hear him, was that four Welsh Mountain sheep appeared before the dragon.

“How, how did he manage to do that?” Bagman asked. “Amazing. It appears Potter has used wandless, silent conjuration!”

Harry rolled his eyes. Dobby had been perfectly happy to assist him with the task when Harry had asked. After finding out the species of the four dragons, it had been easy to figure out each’s favorite food. Dobby had locations for each of the food sources.

Dobby had offered to help the other champions as well, calling them The Friends of The Great Harry Potter Sir. Dobby bringing the dragons a distraction had been Plan B for all of them. It was only luck that Harry had gotten the one dragon he could actually communicate with.

“ _So many_ ,” the dragon said, licking her lips. “ _I shall require at least five more._ ”

“Dobby,” Harry whispered again. Five more sheep appeared. The dragon looked over her nest, and spotted the false egg. She pulled it out with her mouth and placed it in front of Harry before turning back to the sheep.

“Harry Potter has done it! In two minutes, three seconds. That is the fastest recorded time for a first task in tournament history and -! Oh, Merlin – those poor sheep!”

* * *

Harry entered the tent set up for any injured champions to go to, and was immediately beset upon by Madam Pomfrey.

“Honestly, dragons!” she said, waving her wand around. “What will they think of next?”

“Well, we’ve had a basilisk, dementors, and now dragons, so probably a nundu of some sort.” If they did, he’d probably end up being the one to have to deal with it. At least he could ask Proudgott for advice.

“Don’t even joke about that, Mr. Potter,” Pomfrey said, frowning. “I can’t find anything wrong with you.”

“I’m fine, no damage whatsoever. I just came to see how Cedric was doing.”

“He’s in my care, isn’t he?” Pomfrey said. “He’ll be fine shortly. Just waiting for the burn paste to deal with the rest of the burns.”

“I got a little singed,” Cedric said. “And then the dragon knocked a piece of a boulder off at me and broke my arm. But other than that, I’m good.”

Another ‘boom’ sounded.

“There goes Fleur.”

* * *

Fleur entered the arena with her head held high.

“Our third contestant is Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons! She will face the Chinese Fireball!”

Fleur frowned. One of her earlier plans was to use her Veela allure on the dragon, since the allure had a calming effect on animals. It might have worked if she had gotten the Green or the Short-Snout, but both the Fireball and the Horntail regularly hunted humans, and her allure might make them decide to try and eat her instead.

With that in mind, she decided to go for the Fireball’s weak spot instead. _Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Dragons_ listed only one easily accessible weak spot for the Fireball – its eyes.

“Conjunctivitus!” Fleur cast. Her spell hit the dragon in its eyes. The dragon roared in pain and shot flames towards Fleur’s direction. She dodged, and the dragon didn’t follow since it was still blinded.

“Aguamenti,” took care of the flames that had caught on her skirt.

“Ooh, close one there!” Bagman exclaimed.

The fireball began thrashing around, getting very close to its own nest of eggs. Fleur gasped. She didn’t want the eggs to be harmed.

“Deprimo!” she cast. The dragon stumbled back, away from the nest. Fleur sighed in relief, and then collected the golden egg.

“I don’t believe it, two in one day! Fleur Delacour finishes in two minutes, four seconds, narrowly missing beating out Harry Potter!”

* * *

“I guess you shouldn’t have wished me luck after all,” Harry said, when Fleur entered the tent.

She scowled at him. “One zecond, ‘arry, you beat me by one zecond, but I’ll beat you in ze next task.”

“If you say so,” Harry said, smiling. She huffed and turned up her nose at him, causing Cedric to laugh.

Ten minutes later, the next ‘boom’ rang out.

“That was a lot longer than ours,” Harry said.

“He’s got the biggest, most dangerous dragon of them all,” Cedric said.

* * *

“Our final champion is Viktor Krum of Durmstrang, facing the Hungarian Horntail!”

Viktor entered the arena, and stared up at the large dragon. It growled at him. The Horntail was listed as the most dangerous dragon in _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ for a reason. They were the top predator in the dragon world. The few weaknesses they did have, came with old age. The dragon in front of him appeared to be too young to be suffering from any of those.

Horntails were also notorious for ignoring any distractions when around their nest. That left Viktor with one option.

“Accio Firebolt!” he cast. While his own was still back in Bulgaria, Harry had offered the use of his in case one of them needed it. The broom sped over to him, and he swore to himself that if the dragon damaged the broom, he would buy the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team Firebolts to make up for it.

“Viktor has summoned a broom! Surely he can’t plan to outfly the dragon!? Even for a professional quidditch player, that would be a nearly impossible feat!”

The dragon ignored him. So far, Viktor was nothing more than less-than-annoying gnat, and she wasn’t hungry at the moment.

“Reducto!” The spell did no damage to the dragon, but now she was paying attention to him. Viktor flew a little to the side, and then cast it again. “Reducto.”

The dragon sat up, growling, and let out a terrifying roar. Her message was clear – do that again, and you’re dead!

Viktor turned the broom, so his back was facing the dragon, and then cast it one more time, “Reducto!” The dragon roared and shot off a jet of flame, but Viktor managed to outfly it.

“Amazing! He’s outflown the dragon’s flame! Uh oh!”

Uh oh indeed, Viktor thought, as he was suddenly being chased by an angry dragon. She had broken through her chains and had taken to the air after him. Viktor took off like a shot.

“I can’t believe it! He’s actually managing to outfly a dragon!”

Viktor went through twists and turns, not trying to shake the dragon off his tail, but to keep it from being able to aim fire at him. When he came close to the nest, he swooped down and grabbed the golden egg.

The dragon roared in rage, and he led her on another chase, twisting and turning, until he flew her straight into the incoming spellfire of her handlers. Viktor didn’t land until they had her subdued.


	8. 07: A Talk With Dumbledore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! (Or Happy Wholloween if you're watching the Doctor Who marathon.)

“Viktor grabbed the egg and completed the task in seven minutes, twenty-four seconds!  Give us a few minutes to gather the champions, and we’ll give them their scores!”

A few minutes later, the four champions were gathered in front of the judges’ table.

“Our first contestant, Cedric Diggory, used transfiguration and got his egg in six minutes, twenty seconds.  Judges?” Bagman himself shot up an ‘8’ with his wand.

Dumbledore and Maxime both gave him a ‘9’, while Crouch gave him an ‘8’.  Karkaroff sent up a ‘7’.  The crowd gave a cheer.

“Our second contestant, Harry Potter, used wandless, silent conjuration, and got his egg in two minutes, three seconds.  Judges?”  Bagman asked, shooting up a ‘10’.

Dumbledore, Maxime, and Crouch all gave him ‘10’ as well, but Karkaroff sneered, giving him a ‘6’.  The crowd that had been cheering as each ‘10’ was revealed, began to boo at Karkaroff.  Even Viktor was looking at him with distaste.

“Our third contestant, Fleur Delacour, attacked the dragon directly, getting her egg in two minutes, four seconds.  Judges?”  Bagman sent up another ‘8’.

Maxime gave her a ‘10’, and Crouch and Dumbledore both gave her a ‘9’.  Karkaroff gave her a ‘7’.  The Beaubatons students gave loud cheers.

“And our final contestant, Viktor Krum, decided to outfly the dragon, getting his egg in seven minutes, twenty-four seconds.  Judges?”  Bagman sent up a ‘9’.

Karkaroff joyfully sent up a ‘10’, rousing several loud ‘boos’ from the crowd for his favoritism, even if the act of outflying the dragon was amazing.  Dumbledore sent up another ‘9’ while Crouch gave him a ‘10’.  Maxime, frowning severely, gave him a ‘7’ to match the score Karkaroff gave Fleur.

“In fourth place, with 41 points, is Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts.  In third place, with 43 points, is Fleur Delacour of Beaxbatons.  In second place, with 45 points, is Viktor Krum of Durmstrang.”  The crowd had begun cheering, getting louder with each placement reveal, but now they were almost deafening.

“And finally, in first place, with 46 points, is Harry Potter of Hogwarts!” Bagman yelled as loud as he could, to be heard over the crowd.

* * *

“Did Dobby do good?” Dobby asked, when the four champions entered the castle.

“Very good, Dobby,” Harry said.  “Can you make sure she gets however many sheep she wants for the rest of her stay at Hogwarts?”

“Dobby is not sure how many she-dragon would like, but Dobby will bring her several every hour.”

“I’m sure she’ll be ecstatic.”

Sirius came up behind them and clapped Harry on the shoulder, “Congratulations, Harry!  Even if your score should have been higher.”

“I will be haffing words with my Headmaster,” Viktor said, looking displeased.  “I was happy when Fleur’s Madame Maxime gaff me only seven.  If it had been any higher, Karkaroff would haff stolen rightful victory from you.”

Sirius murmured something none of them could here, and then gave Harry a hug, “Anyway, I hope you don’t mind if I invite myself to that talk with Dumbledore.”

“Not at all,” Harry said.  “Flitwick too if he’s able.”

“He’ll be joining us later,” Dumbledore said, from behind them.  “Shall we adjourn to my office?”

* * *

“What is it you wanted to talk about sir?” Harry asked.

“Your living arrangements for the summer.”

Harry frowned, and said, “I won’t go back to the Dursleys.”  Dumbledore winced and stroked his beard.

“No, no, Filius has already informed me as such.  I, first, must apologize.  When I left you there, I thought you may have a harder life than other children, like Mr. Black here, but I never thought that they would do anything else.  A cultural difference, if you would.  Your mother, Sirius.  What was she like?”

“Awful, always wanting me to be a dark wizard and learn the dark arts.  Kept trying to get me to practice the unforgivables on a house-elf.”

“But she never cast them on you?”

“No, of course not.  Children are precious, even my mother at her worst knew and believed that.”

“So it would surprise you to find, that while most muggles are of the same belief, there a quite a few that do not?”  Sirius looked shocked at the very thought, and Dumbledore turned back to Harry, “As you can see, it is almost incomprehensible for a wizard or a witch to even think of harming their child.  That muggles are capable of such is relatively unknown.  I admit I made a mistake leaving you there, but never did I imagine in even my worst nightmares that they would harm you.”

“They did what?” Sirius asked darkly.

“They never hit me, well, my aunt did once with a frying pan, but mostly they just kept me from getting enough food.”

“Not according to your goblin healer,” Dumbledore said, “or so Filius told me.  There were more broken bones then a child would usually get, even from roughhousing.”

“That was mostly Dudley and his gang.  Their favorite game was Harry Hunting, and anytime they caught me they would beat me up.”

“Perhaps,” Flitwick said, entering the room, “but your aunt and uncle never stopped him, and they did not take you to see a muggle healer when your bones were broken, or the goblin one would have found evidence.  It’s good to see your Sirius.”

“You too Professor Flitwick.  I hear you’ve taken my godson as your apprentice.”

“Yes, he’s a very quick study.  Might even make a record time for how quickly an apprentice can learn.  I believe the chance to play professional quidditch for longer is quite a good motivator.”

“I’m glad to hear that.  I was hoping I’d be able to see him for a little while this summer.”

“I’m certain we can make arrangements to do so, so long as he keeps up with his studies.”

Harry and Sirius smiled at each other.

“About that,” Dumbledore said, ignoring the death glares from Sirius and Flitwick.  “With Harry not going back to the Dursleys, the Blood Wards that protect him will fall early this summer.”

“Blood Wards?” Sirius asked.  “But you need a family connection for that.  Wait, who _are_ the Dursleys?”

“Vernon and Petunia Dursley are-”

“Petunia bloody Evans!  Lily’s sister!  Are you mad!?” Sirius demanded.  “She hated Lily and anything to do with magic!”

“I did not believe that she would carry that hatred over to her nephew, not to the extent that she did.”

“Did you not think to ask any of Lily’s friends!?  Dear Merlin, you could have asked _Snape_!  He would have told you _exactly_ what Petunia Evans was capable of.”

“He could?” Harry asked, confused.

“He and Lily were friends,” Sirius said, “once.  He said some nasty things to her in anger, and she never forgave him.  But he knew Petunia too; he met them both before he and Lily even came to Hogwarts!  What in Merlin’s name were you thinking, putting Harry there?’

“As I said before, I now realize that doing so was a mistake,” Dumbledore said.  “But at the time, it was the only option.  You were in prison Sirius, and thought to be a Death Eater, and Remus is a werewolf; you know how the Ministry feels about them.  The Longbottoms were attacked shortly after the death of Harry’s parents.

I didn’t know who else could be in line for custody, but it wouldn’t matter.  So many Death Eaters got off free, claiming the imperious curse was used on them, and throwing money at the Wizengamot.  That same money would see any of the Potter’s chosen guardians for Harry thrown out and him sent to the closest magical blood relative.  If you’ll recall, James mother was a Black, and your cousin Andromeda was kicked out of the family, leaving only-”

“Narcissa Malfoy,” Sirius said.

“Exactly,” Dumbledore said.  “I only intended to leave him there a few days, while I looked for other options, but I couldn’t find any.  Anyone who was friends with James and Lily, and politically powerful enough to fight every attempt to remove him from their care, was either dead or indisposed.  The Dursleys became the only place for him, and with Lily’s sacrifice, I was able to place Blood Wards around the property to protect him far better than any family of wizards could.”

“So you didn’t know my parents’ will said I wasn’t to go there?” Harry asked.

“No, Harry, I did not,” Dumbledore said, with a sigh.  “And had I known that it would have proved Sirius’ innocence, I would have never have had it sealed.  But if it hadn’t been sealed, and there was nothing stating Pettigrew was the real Secret-Keeper, than you would have been placed with a family of Death Eaters, and either killed, or raised to serve Voldemort once he returned.”

“Then he’s not dead?” Sirius said.

“No,” Flitwick said.  “He made several soul containers.  Gringotts goblins are tracking them all down now.”

“What?  But how did they find out about them?” Dumbledore said.

“There was one hidden in Harry’s scar.  They removed it.”

Dumbledore sighed with relief, “It’s gone, then.  I had hoped it wasn’t one, or that I could find a way to remove it without…”

“Without destroying the vessel?” Flitwick said.  “Yes, if only you had thought to ask the goblins.”

“If only,” Dumbledore agreed.  He very much looked the picture of an old man at that moment.

“Perhaps now you won’t keep everything to yourself.”  Flitwick gave Dumbledore a sharp look.

“Yes, I think,” Dumbledore said, and then paused before continuing, “I think I will gather several of my memories on Voldemort together.  Perhaps they will provide clues to where he hid the horcruxes.  Who shall I send them too?”

“Address the package to Rockgut.  He is Gringotts’ resident expert on horcruxes.”

Dumbledore nodded, and stood, “If there is nothing else to be discussed?”  The others rose.

“Professor?” Harry asked.  “Earlier, you said wizards and witches believed children were precious.  If that’s true, then why did Voldemort come after me?  Why does he keep coming after me?  I can’t be the only child targeted during the war.”

“No, no you were not,” Dumbledore said, “but killing and harming are two very different things.  Yes, many children died in the war against Voldemort, but they were always killed first, and instantaneously, so that they did not suffer.”

“Even muggle children that Voldemort and his Death Eaters came across were afforded the same treatment,” Flitwick said.  “Yes, they wished to exterminate anyone without magic, but they would only torture adults, never children.”

“Not even Bellatrix in all her insanity would ever harm a child,” Sirius said.

“And now, I believe we’ve had enough dark talk for the day,” Flitwick said, “And you Mr. Potter, have an egg to figure out.”

* * *

A few days later, after training, Flitwick commented, “You’re having a bit of trouble with your animating charms.”

“I can get them if I concentrate hard enough, but when I try to do them on the fly, they end up, well, like that,” Harry gestured to the pile of statues he failed to animate, all twisted into strange-looking poses that would have been extremely painful if the statues had been human.

“Might I suggest attempting to teach a friend,” Flitwick said.  “While teaching, you may come across the issue you have with the spell.”

“I’m not sure I’m cut out for teaching.”

“No one really is, at first, just like no one is really cut out to be a parent, at first, but like parenthood, teaching becomes much easier with experience.”

“I’ll try.  Hermione would certainly love to learn.”

“That she would,” Flitwick agreed.  “Have you made any progress with your egg yet?”

“I found out it can open,” Harry said.  “It’s not pleasant however.”

“Not pleasant how?” Flitwick asked.

Rather than explain, Harry pulled the egg out of his bag, and opened it up.  Flitwick covered his ears the second the horrible screeching noise began.

“That’s how,” Harry said, after he closed the egg again.

“How horrible,” Flitwick said, giving the egg a nasty look.  “Well, unless they intend to have you up against a banshee, I suggest looking into other languages. It’s certainly not a human one, or a goblin one for that matter.”

“There’s more than one goblin language?”

“Oh yes,” Flitwick said.  “Each countries goblins take words from that countries languages and mix them with Gobbledegook.  Even the ones in America, although rather than use the American’s version of English, they used something called Klingon instead.  Never quite understood those goblins; batty the lot of them.”


	9. 08: Luna Lovegood

**_A Parseltongue in our Midst!_ **

**_A Dark Lord in the Making?_ **

_Recently, Harry Potter, age 12, better known as the Boy-Who-Lived, revealed a dark secret – he is a parseltongue!  Not only is this true, but our children, and Headmaster Dumbledore, have known for years!_

_Two years ago, there were several disturbing attacks by the Heir of Slytherin at Hogwarts.  Potter was the main suspect.  “Of course we suspected him,” one student says. “He’s a parseltongue.  And everyone knows that parseltongue only runs in the Slytherin line.”  “He almost set a snake on a Hufflepuff,” another student said._

_Surely, you say, Dumbledore is taking special care to guide young Harry down the path of light, correct?  “I don’t know where he goes,” one student claims, “but Potter never shows up to class anymore.”  Other students say the same thing.  Whenever Potter is, and whatever he is doing, no one ever sees him in their classes._

_With these accounts, and the fact that he spoke to the dragon during the first task – offering it Who-Knows-What for Who-Knows-Whatever – we must ask ourselves, is Harry Potter a Dark Lord in the making?  Or perhaps just a boy with an unfortunate skillset and a lot of time on his hand?_

_-Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet_

“Honestly,” Hermione said with a huff, “she makes it sound like you kept it secret for decades.”

“I didn’t even know I could do it until just before I started at Hogwarts,” Harry said.

“She’s making you out to be some sort of Dark Lord!”

“She’s an idiot and a rumormonger.  Besides, she didn’t outright say anything that was untrue.”

“She sure as hell implied it,” Cho said.

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter,” Harry said.  “If she says anything that’s not true, the goblins will go after her, and I’m pretty sure she’s very aware of that.”

“And it was quite clear, you were offering the dragon sheep,” Hermione added.

“And since you got the egg in return,” Cedric said, “what you were getting for the sheep was pretty obvious too.”

“Anyone figure out anything about the egg yet?” Harry said, trying to change the subject.

“Non,” Fleur said.  “Your Flitwick suggezted another language, oui?  I know no language like this one.”

“Except, perhaps, that of a banshee,” Viktor added.

“I suppose it’s a good thing the Gryffindor champion isn’t Seamus then,” Harry said.  “He’s terrified of banshees.”

“Why don’t we try again tomorrow,” Cho said.  “It’s almost time for class.  For most of us anyway.  Dark Lords in the making, as it turns out, don’t go to class.”

Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

* * *

With his friends and fellow champions in class, and Professor Flitwick having the third year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs this period, Harry wandered the empty halls, trying to think of what the language in the egg could be.

With everyone else in class, it was a surprise that he stumbled into anyone.

“Oh, wow, I’m sorry,” Harry said, helping the younger girl up, “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“That’s alright,” she said.  “I did not notice the wrackspurts had your attention either.”

Harry’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Wrackspurts?”

“They like to go in between your ears and make your brain fuzzy,” she exclaimed.

“Oh.”  Harry noticed the Ravenclaw insignia on her robes.  “I’m Harry Potter.”

“Hello Harry Potter.  I’m Luna Lovegood,” she said.

“It’s nice to meet you Luna Lovegood,” Harry said with a grin.  “Shouldn’t you be in class?”

Luna tilted her head and replied, “I should yes.  But I’m afraid some of the blibbering humdingers have stolen my homework, and I need to find it before I go to class.”

“Oh.”

“It’s alright.  Professor Flitwick is covering cheering charms today, and I’m quite proficient at them already.”

“Would you like help tracking down the, er, humdingers did you say?”

“Blibbering humdingers,” Luna said, “and that would be lovely, thank you.”

Harry began to help Luna search for her missing homework, but as the minutes passed by, he began to notice more and more things wrong.

“Luna, why are you wearing two different left shoes?”

“Oh, the blibbering humdingers have taken all my right shoes,” Luna said.

“But doesn’t that hurt, to walk with two left shoes?”

“Sometimes,” Luna answered, “but at least I’m not going barefoot like I had to last year in December.  The blibbering humdingers took all of my shoes then.”

“Do the humdingers take a lot of your things?”

“Oh yes, but it’s alright I suppose.  They don’t know any better.”

“Have you tried telling Professor Flitwick about them?”

“Oh no, that would just make them steal more of my things.”

That cinched it for Harry, “It’s not the humdingers taking your things at all, is it?  It’s your dorm mates.”

Luna’s eyes grew very wide, and she grew quiet and still.  Luna tilted her head, and after a short moment, nodded.

“Luna, you can’t just let them get away with that.  If you don’t do something to stop them, they’ll keep doing it until you have nothing left.”

“But if I tell Professor Flitwick, it will just make things worse.”

“No, it won’t,” Harry said, “because if they try anything after Flitwick’s done with them, they’ll have to deal with me.  No one hurts my friends and gets away with it, Luna, no one.”

Luna tilted her head again, and hesitantly asked, “Are we…friends?”

“Of course!” Harry exclaimed.  The next moment he had his arms full of a sobbing blonde.

* * *

Flitwick entered his office after class ended, to see Harry and Luna Lovegood sitting down, waiting for him to arrive.

“I did not see you in class earlier, Ms. Lovegood,” Flitwick said.  “I trust there is a good reason for this?”

“A very good one,” Harry said.  He nudged Luna’s foot with his own.  “Go on, Luna, it’ll be alright.”

Luna nodded, and reached for Harry’s hand before speaking, “My homework is missing, and this is not the first time it has gone missing, or the only thing.  Many of my things go missing.  In my first year, my only picture of my mother went missing.  It wasn’t returned until the day we were to leave for the summer.  I decided not to bring it back.

“Last year, my clothes began to go missing as well.  I spent most of December and January barefoot, and not wearing anything under my robes.  This year, only my right shoes have gone missing, meaning I have to walk around in only my left ones.”  Luna kicked out her feet, so Flitwick could see her two left shoes.

“Many times,” Luna continued, “my homework has gone missing shortly after I’ve completed it, or just before class so that I cannot turn it in.”

“I see,” Flitwick said.  “May I ask why you didn’t bring this to me, or one of the prefects, when it first started?”

“I truly believed that would only make things worse for me, Professor,” Luna said, “and I did not have any friends to make things better or to encourage me to come forward.”

“And now you do?”

Luna smiled and glanced at Harry, “Harry Potter has fought a basilisk and lived to tell the tale.  There is no better defender or friend I could ask for.”

“And anyone who tries anything after today will meet the very Harry Potter that fought that basilisk,” Harry said, with a vicious grin.

Flitwick gave a grin of his own in return, “Of course they will.  I hope you give me the weekend at least to deal with them, however.”  Harry nodded.  “In the meantime, I will have the house-elves set-up a separate room for you Ms. Lovegood.”

“Thank you Professor.”

“You’re quite welcome.  I would also suggest sitting with Mr. Potter and his friends during meals.”

* * *

“You guys don’t mind if Luna joins us, do you?” Harry asked.

“Oh, hello Luna,” Cho said.  “How are you today?”

“Very well, thank you, Cho.  I have even made a friend.”

“Have you?  That’s wonderful.  Are the, er, oh I can’t remember what their called.  Are your things still going missing?”

“Yes, but I don’t think they will anymore, in the future,” Luna said.  “My friend may become angry with the blibbering humdingers if they do.”

“I see,” Cho said, sounding confused.

“We went to Flitwick about it,” Harry said.  “He’s going to take care of it.”

“Good,” Cho said.  “I’ve informed the prefects several times, and they said they’d take care of it, but then nothing ever came of it.”

Luna smiled and said, “The prefects all have wrackspurts.  It’s not surprising they didn’t do anything.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to join us,” Hermione said.  “I hope you don’t mind, but we normally only look up things for the tournament.”

“That’s quite alright,” Luna said.  “Even with my homework going missing, I’m still ahead with all my classes.”

“Has anyone managed to figure anything out?” Cedric asked hopefully.

“Nothing,” Viktor answered.  Hermione looked angry with herself.

“I haven’t thought of anything either,” she said.

“Perhaps I could help,” Luna said.  “What are we doing?”

“We’re trying to figure out what language ze clue inzide ze egg iz in,” Fleur said.

“Oh.  May I hear it?”

Hermione winced, “Perhaps we should move out to the corridor?  I can’t imagine Madam Pince would be happy if we unleashed that in the library.”

“She may even try to hang us in those chains Filch is always going on about,” Cedric said.

“Right then.  Let’s get as far away from the library as possible,” Harry said.

* * *

As far away as possible, meant an empty classroom, four corridors away, and two floors up.  Harry pulled out his egg, and the others, minus Luna, covered their ears.

“Here we go,” Harry said before opening the egg.

Luna’s face didn’t lose its peaceful expression, even with the screaming noises coming from the egg.

“How odd,” she said, when Harry finally closed the egg.  “It sounds like someone managed to record several aquavirius maggots.  I’d love a copy of the recording to send to Daddy.  I think he’d enjoy writing about it in the Quibbler.”

“Ze Quibbler?” Fleur asked.  Hermione mouthed ‘aquavirius maggots’ over and over again.

“Oh, it’s my father’s magazine.  He and I write all sorts of articles for it.”

Hermione gasped, “Of course.  Water!”

“What?” Harry asked.

“The egg.  It’s not in another language – well, I mean, it might be – but I think it’s in a different medium!”

“Do any of you understand her?” Viktor asked.  “I am haffing trouble.  I think my English is not so good.”

“No, no, you’re English is fine,” Cedric said.

“Very few people are capable of speaking Hermione,” Harry added.  Hermione smacked him on the arm.

“Boys, honestly,” she said.  Fleur and Cho gave her agreeing looks.  “I think we need to hold the egg underwater to hear the clue.”  She bit her lip.  “But I don’t know where there’s a big enough space for us all to hear it.”

“The prefect’s bathroom,” Cedric said.  “The password is pine fresh.  All we have to do is make sure no one else is in there.”

“Well, that’s easy,” Harry said, pulling out the Marauder’s Map.

* * *

“I am so becoming a prefect,” Hermione said, gazing around the room in adoration.

“If the teachers would tell us about this place, more of us would try to make prefect,” Harry said.

“I know, right,” Cedric said.  “This is easily the best perk of being a prefect.”

“It iz magnifizent,” Fleur said.  “We have nozing of ze sort at Beauxbatonz.  I am very jealouz.”

“Are we all going to take a bath together?” Luna asked.

Hermione blushed and began stammering.

“I think we should wear our swimsuits, if we have them,” Harry said.

Viktor nodded, and Hermione gave a sigh of relief.

“How will we get zem here?” Fleur said.  “Mine iz at home, in France.”

“Dobby?” Harry asked.  Dobby appeared next to him.

“What can Dobby be doing for the Great Harry Potter sir?”

“Could you get all of our swimsuits, please?  Mine is in my trunk.”

“As is mine,” Hermione said.

“And mine,” Luna said.  Cedric’s and Cho’s were in their trunks too.

“Mine is in my room on the ship,” Viktor said.

“Mine iz at home in Paris, however,” Fleur said.  “Azk for Collette to get it, if you can.  Zhe knowz where it iz.”

Dobby nodded and disappeared.


	10. 09: Dates for the Yule Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than normal, but that's because I wanted the Yule Ball to start in its own chapter.

Dobby reappeared a few minutes later, blushing brightly, with all of their swimsuits.

“C-Collette is nice e-elf,” Dobby stammered, before disappearing again.  Fleur, giggling, conjured a tall divider.  The girls went to one side, while the boys went to the other, and they changed into their swimsuits.

“Here’s to hoping this isn’t nearly as loud underwater,” Cedric said, after they all got into the pool-sized bathtub.  They all took deep breaths, and then plunged under the water.  Cedric opened the egg.

Instead of a horrible screeching noise, a melody of voices began to sing out:

 

_Come and seek us where our voices sound._

_We cannot sing above the ground._

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss._

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took._

_But past an hour - the prospect's black._

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back_

 

They resurfaced.  Hermione quickly dried off, and then wrote the short song down.  They began to go through it.

“ _We cannot zing above ze ground_ ,” Fleur said.  “Well, I suppoze that means it will be in ze water.  I can’t imagine they would put uz in ze ground itself.”

“So somewhere under the water.  In the lake?” Cedric said.

“There are merfolk in the lake,” Hermione said.  “Among other, not so pleasant denizens – Kappas, grindylows.”

“Aquavirius maggots,” Luna chimed in.

“Er, those too, I suppose,” Hermione said, sounding unsure.

“And we’ll haff an hour to find whatever it is the merfolk haff taken from us,” Viktor said.

“The only question is, what are they going to take?” Cho asked.

None of them had an answer.

* * *

Rumors abounded in the next few days, about what had happened to the Ravenclaws.  Whatever had happened, there three facts that everyone was sure of.  One, Professor Flitwick had been furious.  Two, the prefects in the house of ravens had lost their badges.  And, three, the Beauxbatons students had moved to the Hufflepuff table at the request of their champion.

None of the rumors that flew about what happened were close to what actually did happen, and the ravens themselves remained tight lipped.  No one paid any attention to the new addition to the Champion’s Table in the library.  Hermione was well known for helping any of the younger students that asked for help on their schoolwork.

Ron approached their table in the library one day, about a week and a half after the first task.

“Ron,” Harry said.

“Harry, I, er, I reckon someone must really be trying to do you harm and all,” Ron said.

“Finally figured that out, have you,” Harry said, coldly.  Hermione and Ron both winced.  Harry rarely used that tone of voice, and when he did, it never ended well for whoever he was angry with.

“Yeah,” Ron said slowly.  “So, I’m, uh, sorry about, you know, not believing you, and everything.”

“Apology accepted,” Harry said, “but if you ever try and pull that shit again, I’ve got several new curses I can cast on you.”  Ron winced again.

“So, friends again?”

“Friends again,” Harry agreed, “but Hermione, Fleur, and Luna have become my best friends in your absence. And they’re much prettier than you.”

“Hey, Potter, what about me?” Cho demanded.

“I think your pretty too Cho, but your also dating Cedric, and I don’t feel like being drowned in the prefect’s bath, no matter how nice a way to go it would be.”

“Potter!” Cedric growled, shaking his fist at Harry threateningly.  Laughter erupted from the Champion’s Table.

“Well, are you going to sit down or not?” Hermione said, shoving a book in Ron’s hand.  “We’re looking for things to help in the second task.  It’s going to be in the lake, we think.”

* * *

“Well, I can’t imagine the tournament organizers would actually let the merfolk keep whatever they have down there,” Flitwick said.  “So you can stop worrying about the prospect becoming black.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Harry said.  “We still don’t know what’s going to be taken, but at least it won’t be lost forever.”

“The library has some good books on spells you can cast underwater.  I would suggest _Underwater Magic_ and _Water’s Effect on Magic_ in particular.”

“I’ll make sure to grab those next time I’m at the library.”

“Now, there’s one more thing, before I let you go.  The rest of the student body will be told next week, I believe.  This Christmas, Hogwarts will be hosting a Yule Ball.”

“Isn’t Yule on the Winter Solstice though?” Harry asked.

“Yes, but most people these days use it to refer to Christmas instead,” Flitwick said.  “Anyway, as champion, you and your date will be required to be in the opening dance.”

“But I don’t even know how to dance!” Harry said.

“I suggest you ask Ms. Granger or Ms. Delacour for lessons then,” Flitwick said.  Harry stared at him in horror.  “I’m sure having your arms around a pretty girl will be a _terrible_ experience.”

Harry’s stare turned into one of annoyance instead of horror.  Flitwick chuckled.

“The ball, I believe, will only be open to those fourth year and up.”

“So Luna won’t be able to attend?” Harry asked.

“Well, anyone third year and below may attend if asked by an older student, so if you or Mr. Krum were to ask her, she’d be able to go.”

Harry resolved to ask her if she would like to go to the ball next time he saw her.

* * *

“A ball?” Fleur asked, delighted at the idea.

“Yes, a ball,” Harry said, “where I will make a complete fool of myself because I can’t dance.”

“Neither can I,” Cho admitted.

“Then we’ll just have to add dancing lessons to our schedule,” Hermione said.  “We’ll get a list of dances from the teachers after they announce it to the rest of the school.”  She frowned.  “Are they going to have everyone there?  That many students trying to dance at once is going to make for a very crowded ballroom.”

“Everyone fourth year and up,” Harry said.  Luna looked disappointed.  “Would you like to attend Luna?”

“Oh, that’s alright.  I’m only a third year anyway,” Luna said.

“Well, yes, but third years and below can attend if they’re asked by an older student,” Harry said.  “I would like to go to the ball with one of my friends, and since you’re the only one of them that can’t attend themselves, I thought I’d ask.”

“That’s very nice of you Harry,” Luna said.  “In that case, I would like very much to attend the ball with you.”

“Even if I end up stepping on your toes?” Harry asked.

“I’ll just step on yours right back,” Luna said.

“You’ll go with me, won’t you Cho?” Cedric asked.

“Of course,” Cho said.

Victor gave a terrified look to the already large amount of giggling girls throwing him flirty looks in the library, knowing the amount would grow once the ball was actually announced.  Fleur herself, was frowning.

“It zhall be zo ‘ard to find zomeone who iz not effected by ze allure,” Fleur said.

“Why don’t you and Viktor go together then?” Luna said.  “He is not effected by your allure, and you will save him from all the fangirls.”

“That is a wonderful idea,” Viktor said.  “Fleur, will you attend the ball with me?”

“I believe I zhall Viktor.”

“Excellent, then the only one without a date now is Hermione,” Luna said, smiling.

“Oh no, you’re not setting me up with anyone!”

“But Terry Boot has a large crush on you,” Luna said.  Hermione’s face grew startled.

“Boot!?” she said.  “He’s almost as bad as Malfoy.  I’m not entirely sure which one uses more product in his hair.”

“We could set their hair on fire,” Cho said, with a mischievous grin.  “Whichever burns quicker has the most product in it.”

“Even better,” Harry said, “we could have Fred and George set their hair on fire for us.”

“Harry,” Hermione scolded.

“What?  It’s for science!  Enquiring minds wish to know and all that rot.”

“We are not setting anyone, or their hair, on fire,” Hermione said.  “Even if they do deserve it.”

“I don’t know,” Harry said.  “Flitwick’s taught me a few fire spells I could use in a duel.”

“You are not to challenge Boot or Malfoy to a duel, just so you can set their hair on fire.”

“If you say so, Hermione.”

“I do say so.”

* * *

Harry came down the stairs from his dorm, the day after the ball was announced, to hear Ron say, “Hermione, you’re a girl.”

“This can’t end well,” Harry muttered to himself.

“Oh, well spotted,” Hermione said, sarcasm dripping from her every word.  Ron didn’t appear to notice.

“You could go with me to the ball.”

“I could, but I won’t,” Hermione said.

“Why not?  It’s not like anyone else is going to take you.”

“Plenty of boys have asked me to the ball, thank you very much,” Hermione said angrily.  “I turned them all down as I’d rather go alone then with someone I’m not friends with.  And I certainly won’t be going with you Ronald Weasley.”

Hermione smacked him and then stormed off.  Ron’s eyes bulged out, and he rubbed his cheek, looking in the direction Hermione had left in.

“What did I say?”

“Ron,” Harry said, “You’re an idiot.”

“But what did I say to set her off?”

“I imagine it was the whole ‘Hermione, you’re a girl’ part.”

“But she is a girl!”

“That she is, my friend,” Harry said, clapping him on the shoulder, “meaning we will never ever be able to understand her.”

* * *

The last day of term came, and with it Flitwick decided to give himself a bit of a break, and have Harry grade the papers of the students in the years below him.

“How do you even mix up the levitation charm and the lighting spell?” Harry asked, incredulously.

“Apparently very easily,” Flitwick said, sighing in disappointment.  “I always have a few every year who do so.”

Harry shook his head in disbelief, “I wasn’t that bad was I?”

“No, but your friend Mr. Weasley certainly was.  The only student I’ve ever known to mix up the stunning spell with the vegetable pulling charm.”

“How did he even…?”  Harry trailed off.  “That would be funny though. ‘Ron, what are you doing to those potatoes?’ ‘They were being mean to me and not letting me eat them, mum.  I had to stun them.’”  Harry mimicked Mrs. Weasley’s and Ron’s voices as he spoke.

Flitwick let out an undignified sounding snort, before clearing his throat, and saying seriously, “That wasn’t me.”


	11. 10: The Yule Ball

The morning, and then afternoon, of Christmas came quickly after term ended.  The girls disappeared mid-afternoon, after a giant snowball fight that even Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students had joined.

“How much time do girls really need to get ready,” Ron complained, having managed to hit Fleur and Luna several times.

“A lot,” Harry said.  “They have to make sure their hair is perfect, their make-up is perfect, their dress is perfect, their shoes are perfect, their skin is perfect, their-”

“Alright, alright, I get it.  They want to look perfect,” Ron said.  “How do you know all that anyway?”

“As much as they’ve been talking about it the last few days, I’m pretty sure me, Cedric, and Viktor have become experts in women’s ball fashion.”

Ron shook his head, “Girls are weird.”

“You got a date yet?”

“Yeah, I asked Parvati last night.  She’s going with one of the boys from Beauxbatons, but her sister didn’t have a date, so I’m going with her.  Who’re you taking?”

“Luna.”

“Luna?”

“She’s the only one in our group who was too young to go herself,” Harry said.  “Besides, it’s better than being stuck going with a fangirl.”

“You could have asked Ginny.”

“Ginny’s going with Neville.”

“Neville!?  Why I oughta-”

“Do absolutely nothing at all if you don’t want a bat-bogey curse to the face.”

“Oh,” Ron said, grumpily, “yeah.”

* * *

“Luna?” Harry asked.  “You’re gorgeous.  Well, I mean, you’re always pretty, but wow, you’re gorgeous.”

“You said that already,” Luna said giggling.

“Well, it’s so true, it bears repeating,” Harry said.  “Luna, you’re gorgeous.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, Harry,” she said.  “And remember, if you step on my toes, I step on yours.”

“If the champions and their dates would form a line?” McGonagall said.  The rest of the student body was already in the Great Hall, including Hermione, who was still glaring daggers at Ron.

Viktor and Fleur entered first, followed by Cedric and Cho, and then Harry and Luna.  They were directed up to the staff table, where Percy Weasley and Ludo Bagman had already joined the staff.

“Whatever happened to Mr. Crouch?” Fleur asked.

“He’s been sick,” Percy told her.  “He’s had me doing most of his work for him.  I think I’ve done very well in his absence.”

* * *

After dinner, the champions and their dates took to the dance floor, to participate in the opening dance.  Professor Dumbledore joined them, leading Professor McGonagall, and Hagrid led Madame Maxime to the dancefloor.

“See, this isn’t so bad,” Luna said, as the music started and she and Harry began to twirl around.  “Oof.”

Harry winced, “Sorry, sorry.  Perhaps you spoke to soon.  Ouch.”

“You’ll get the hang of it soon, I’m sure,” Luna said, with a serene smile on her face, as if she hadn’t just slammed her heel down on his toes on purpose.

“You fight dirty,” Harry muttered.

“No such thing as fighting dirty, unless you’re doing it in the dirt,” Luna said.  It sounded like something their DADA teacher would say.

The tempo of the music changed and they changed partners as the dance required.  Luna began dancing with Cedric, while Cho and Fleur giggled around the dance floor, leaving Viktor to lead Harry in the next part of the dance, much to the amusement of their friends.

Harry made a rude gesture to Cedric, who was chuckling loudly, behind Viktor’s back.  Luna’s giggles joined Fleur and Cho.  They changed partners again, and Harry ended up dancing with Professor McGonagall, while Dumbledore twirled Luna around the floor.

“Make a gesture like that again Potter, and I’ll have you in detention,” McGonagall said.

“Yes ma’am.”

The next partner change had Harry dancing with Hermione, now apparently trying to set Ron on fire with the force of her glare.

“You know he won’t actually catch fire, regardless of how much you glare at him,” Harry said.

“Witches and wizards have been known to spontaneously evolve new powers in the past.  All I need is to evolve some laser vision, and boom – Headicus Explodicus.”

“I don’t think it works like that,” Harry said.  Hermione’s glare turned to him, and he quickly added, “Laser vision is more likely to cause Headicus Melticus.”

Hermione snorted, trying to hide a smile.

They changed partners again, and Hermione ended up dancing with Viktor, while Harry led Cho around the dance floor.  Luna twirled by, being led around by Fleur.  Viktor would spend most of the rest of the night dancing with Hermione, but Fleur didn’t mind, stealing multiple dances from each of their friends.

* * *

“That, that, hag,” Hermione raged.

“What did she write now?” Harry asked.  It could only be a Rita Skeeter article with the way Hermione was acting.

“Here!” she shoved the Prophet at him.

 

**_Heartaches at the Yule Ball_ **

_Christmas brought a special treat to Hogwarts this year, a Yule Ball to celebrate the international cooperation of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  And what better way to attend your first ball then on the arm of one of the champions.  Unfortunately for the boys and girls of Hogwarts, by the time the ball was announced to the school as a whole, the four champions had already found dates._

_Cedric Diggory atteneded the ball with Cho Chang on his arm.  Chang, a mediocre student from Ravenclaw, is the daughter of one of China’s most influential families.  China, as you know, rarely allows their wizard families to travel outside its borders, unless the family as a whole has been banished.  There is no word yet if this is the case with the Changs._

_Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour attended together, although Krum ditched Delacour rather early in the evening for Hermione Granger, a plain but ambitious girl.  “She’s very smart,” one student said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she could make a love potion strong enough to overcome a Veela’s allure.”  Delacour, after being ditched, began to dance with all of the other champions and their dates._

_Harry Potter, the youngest champion, took Luna Lovegood to the ball.  Lovegood, the daughter of Quibbler publisher Xeno Lovegood, is a Ravenclaw two years younger than Harry, and spends most of her time trying to convince her peers that the make-believe animals found in the Quibbler are real.  She most certainly isn’t the sort of person someone like the Boy-Who-Lived should be hanging around._

_More information from Hogwarts and on the Tri=Wizard Tournament to come!_

_-Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet_

 

Harry scowled, and passed it over to the next member of their group, “Does the Wizarding World consider it murder if the person _really_ deserves it?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Hermione answered.

“Or maybe we’re allowed outside the borders _because_ we’re one of the most influential families,” Cho said angrily.  Cho passed the paper down.

“I am not under effect of love potions,” Viktor said.  “I haff to take flushing draught every week for quidditch, even in off season.”

“It’s just Skeeter rumormongering,” Cedric said, after reading the article himself.

“Yes, but it is going to be believed,” Hermione said.  “Practically everything in the Prophet is.”

“That’s true,” Cedric said, frowning.

“Luna,” Harry said, “how much would it cost your father to print a booklet for us and send it to everyone?”

“Everyone?  That would be quite a lot I’d imagine.  I’ll write and ask.”

“What are you thinking, ‘arry?” Fleur asked.

“The only reason this will be believed is because it’s the only information people are getting.  I want to put out our own version of what happened, the actual version of what happened that is.”

“It’s a very good idea, Harry,” Luna said.  “I’ll get started on the letter to Daddy right away.”

“Thanks Luna.”

* * *

The next morning, Fleur, Hermione, Luna, and even Cho began to receive hate mail.  A red envelope began to soar towards the table they sat at.

“Uh oh,” Ginny said.  “That’s Errol.”

The letter opened up and Mrs. Weasley’s voice barely manged to get out, “HERMIONE GRANGER, HOW DARE-!” before Harry shot a spell at the howler making it explode.

“Ten points from Gryffindor for littering Potter,” Snape said.

Harry ignored him and said, “Ginny, kindly write to your mother and inform her that she shouldn’t believe everything she reads in the Prophet.”

Ginny nodded, “I will.  I’m sorry Hermione.  I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

“And also inform her that until she apologizes to Hermione for her rude behavior, I will not be returning to the Burrow at any time.”

“Neither will I,” Hermione added.  “How could she possible believe what Skeeter wrote?  Oh!”

A letter Hermione had just opened exploded all over her hands.  Boils were beginning to from all over her hands which began to swell.

“How does it feel to know how people really feel about you mudblood!” Draco Malfoy called from across the room.  He then began screeching in pain as Ginny’s bat-bogey hex hit him in the face.

“Ten points to Gryffindor for being on target and not hitting any bystanders,” Snape said, glaring at Draco.  “My office before class, Mr. Malfoy.”

By lunchtime, the Durmstrang students had chosen to move to the Gryffindor table, as had a few Slytherins that were nervously welcomed so long as they didn’t cause trouble.

* * *

“Did you know Snape’s missing some lacewing flies and boomslang skin,” Ron said to them later.  “I snuck around the outside of his office to hear what punishment he gave Malfoy.  Trust me, Snape does not like the word, well, you know, used _at all_.”

“What potion needs lacewing flies and boomslang skin?” Cedric asked.

“Polyjuice potion,” Hermione, Ron, and Harry answered together.

“Okay, Hermione I can understand knowing that, but how do Ron and Harry?” Cho asked.

“Hermione told us the ingredients when she brewed it in second year.”

“Suh-second year?”

“Yeah.  That was the year with the basilisk and the Heir of Slytherin writing messages on the wall.  We thought Draco Malfoy might be the Heir, since he was so smug about all the attacks happening.  We figured the only way he’d admit that he was the Heir out loud was to other Slytherins.”

“Harry and Ron became Crabbe and Goyle,” Hermione added.  “And I, well, I was going for Millicent Bulstrode, but apparently she, or one of her dorm mates, has a cat, because it wasn’t her hair that I put in the potion.”

“Was he?” Luna asked.  “The Heir, I mean.”

“No, the Heir was Voldemort, possessing one of the students.”

“Oh,” Luna said, and then her face lit up in realization and she glanced at Ron.  “So that’s why she ignored me that year.  I’ve been holding it against her, because it hurt, but if she was being possessed then it wasn’t her fault.  I’ll make sure to talk to her later.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate that,” Ron said.

“Oh, and Daddy sent his reply Harry,” Luna said, passing the letter over to Harry.

Harry looked at the amount and let out a whistle.

“Expensive?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, but I figured it would be, with us wanting to send it to everyone,” Harry said.  “This’ll take the majority of the money left in my trust fund, but it’s doable.”

“But then you won’t be able to afford your supplies next year, or your tuition,” Hermione said.

“My parents paid my full tuition when I was a baby.  Apparently my accidental magic was particularly obvious.  And don’t worry, my trust vault refills on my birthday, so I’ll have enough to get anything I need.”

“That means all that we need to do, is figure out what we want to write,” Cho said.

She and Hermione began pulling out pieces of parchment.

* * *

The next morning, every witch and wizard in Britain was surprised to find an owl swooping down and leaving a booklet entitled _What’s Really Going On? The Tri-Wizard Tournament Part 1_ behind for them.  The majority of wizards and witches eagerly opened the booklet, reading in the champions own words what has been happening in the tournament.

Rita Skeeter would be the one receiving hate mail and booby-trapped letters by the end of the week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is an interlude, and then the next one after that will be chapter 11.


	12. Interlude: What's Really Going On?

**What’s Really Going On?**

**The Tri-Wizard Tournament**

**Part 1**

 

**Foreword**

 

About a week ago, Rita Skeeter had another article of hers published in the Daily Prophet, and like many of the ones before, she got quite a bit wrong.  We, the champions of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, would like to take this time to clear up what’s been happening so far.

 

**The Goblet of Fire**

**By Cedric Diggory**

 

This year at Hogwarts, many of us were disappointed to hear that Quidditch was being canceled.  Our spirits were risen once more when Dumbledore told us about the tournament taking place at Hogwarts.  There were several complaints when he informed us about the age requirement, particularly from those that only just missed it.

But there was no face more relieved than that of Harry Potter.  Finally, he would have a school year free from danger to his person, but it was not to be.  The Goblet of Fire, which spits out the names of the chosen champions, was charmed to spit out four names instead of three, dragging Harry into danger once more.

Make no mistake, this was not a younger student putting his own name in, or getting an older student to do it for him.  No student, however capable with magic, could make the Goblet of Fire, an ancient and very strong magical artifact, make the mistake of announcing four champions.

This was a deliberate attempt to kill Harry Potter, using the tournament as a weapon.  The Ministry and the Staff of Hogwarts has promised to investigate how this happened, or who is trying to kill Harry again, but there has been no progress on the case at this time.

 

**The First Task**

**By Fleur Delacour**

 

The first task, as you might know, was to get a golden egg from a nesting dragon.  We were not told of this, by tournament officials, until just before the task itself.  This was to test our resourcefulness in the face of the unknown.

The history of the tournament shows that the first task is almost always a creature.  Coupled with the roars and streams of flames coming from the forest, it was not too difficult to put together that the first task included dragons.  A quick survey of the surrounding area showed us exactly which dragons there would be.

Following the logic that someone was trying to kill Harry yet again, we worked on the assumption that Harry would receive the most dangerous dragon of the lot – the Horntail.  He did not, but not by any chance.  The model dragon of the Horntail was charmed to be picked up only by Harry himself.  Viktor forcibly overpowered the magics in the model, to insure that he got it instead.

Viktor gave an amazing display, annoying the Horntail into chasing him, then flying circles around it, scooping up the egg for the longest time, and then flew the dragon straight into its handlers.  Cedric used transfiguration to his advantage coming in with the second longest time.  I, myself, attacked my dragon’s eyes and kept it away from crushing its nest before I got the egg, coming in the second quickest time, only one second behind Harry himself.

Harry was left, luckily, with the very dragon he was capable of communicating with.  Parseltongue, as you might know, is supposedly the sign of a dark wizard.  However, this is only so in England, where several dark wizards in the past have had the ability.  In most other countries they are renowned healers and snake-catchers, helping to insure that there are no deaths by snakes.

There are also several species of lizard that a parseltongue is capable of understanding, and two dragons – the Welsh Green and the Peruvian Vipertooth.  Harry conversed with the dragon, asking what it would like in return for the egg, and then conjured the sheep the dragon desired.  With no damage to himself, the egg, or the dragon and the quickest completion time, Harry was a shoe in for 10s across the board.  Karkaroff, the Headmaster of Durmstrang, however, had other ideas, and rated all three of the champions not from Durmstrang as low as possible, to insure his own students win.

Viktor himself had nothing to do with this, as he later stated, “I was happy when [Beauxbatons Headmistress] Madame Maxime gave me only seven [points].  If it had been any higher, Karkaroff would have stolen rightful victory from [Harry].”  While Viktor’s outflying the Horntail earned highscores across the board, Maxime leveled the playing field to offset Karkaroff’s favoritism, and gave Viktor a score that would place him just behind Harry in points.

The task ended with Harry in first place with 46 points, Viktor in second place with 45 points, myself in third place with 43 points, and Cedric in fourth place with 41 points.

 

**The Yule Ball**

**By Viktor Krum**

 

With the four champions having to open up the Yule Ball, we were told about it shortly before the rest of the school so that we may be able to figure out who we would like to take.  The youngest member of our group of friends is Luna Lovegood, a delightful young lady that enjoys reading and even writing articles for her father’s magazine, the Quibbler.  Since Luna is a third year, one year underneath Harry himself, she would be unable to attend the ball unless an older student asked her.  Harry, being ever the gentleman, asked her immediately.

It was also easy for Cedric to get a date.  His girlfriend, Cho Chang, was happy to accept his invitation to the ball.  The Changs are one of the most influential families in China, and the Diggorys are one of the most influential families in England.  The two of them are, in fact, betrothed to be married shortly after Cho finishes school.  In preparation for this, they began dating three years ago.

That left myself and Fleur.  Before the announcement of the Yule Ball, there were already giggling fangirls and drooling boys filling the library attempting to get our attention.  With the Yule Ball, the amount of them doubled.  I did not wish to spend, what would be a nice evening, with a giggling fangirl.  Fleur did not wish to spend the evening with a boy who would drool every time he glanced in her direction, regardless of whether she was using her allure or not.

It was Luna who suggested we go together, as Fleur was not a fangirl, and I did not drool at her.  During our preparations for the first task, Fleur, hoping she got a calmer dragon, had originally planned to use her allure to send the dragon to sleep.  Therefore she began practicing using her allure and holding it for as long as she could.  While it effected myself, Cedric, and Harry in the beginning, we quickly became immune to the effects.

And so, we attended the ball as friends.  I became fascinated with another of our friends, Hermione Granger, over the course of the evening, and spent most of my time dancing with her.  Fleur remained within our group of friends, dancing with each of us several times.  At no time were any of us under the effects of Fleur’s allure, or a potion of any sort.

After Skeeter’s article came out, insinuating the use of such potions, all of us went to each of the medi-witches and -wizards present.  In addition to Hogwarts’ medi-witch, we went to see the ones brought by Beauxbatons and Durmstrang as well.  They all found the same thing – we are all clear of potions, except Harry who is currently only under the effects of a nutrient potion since he is underweight.

You may see the results listed below.  We expect a full apology from Ms. Skeeter for her nasty insinuations and outright lies.

 

[Official Medical Reports, three for each of the champions, followed Viktor’s article.]

 

**The Aftermath of Skeeter’s Misinformation**

**By Harry Potter**

 

Of course, we could not attend our first ball and have a good time without someone, in this case Rita Skeeter, insinuating something was wrong.  Having read all of Skeeter’s articles on the tournament, I have come to the conclusion that she is nothing more than a rumormonger, and that she does not care for facts.

For example, according to several first years we polled, it was, according to them, quite obvious that I was offering sheep in return for the golden egg in the first task.  Rita wrote, and I quote, “ _[With] the fact that he spoke to the dragon during the first task – offering it Who-Knows-What for Who-Knows-Whatever – we must ask ourselves, is Harry Potter a Dark Lord in the making?_ ”

Her other so called evidence that I am a Dark Lord in the making, is that I no longer attend classes with my peers.  If she had done any research whatsoever, rather than just write about the rumors and hearsay that she heard, she would have noticed that I have been accepted as Professor Flitwick’s apprentice.  I currently reside at Hogwarts because he does, not because I am attending school here as a student.

In the same article, she wrote, “ _Harry Potter, age 12_ ”.  I can assure all of you, I know exactly how old I am, and it is not 12.  This past July 31st, I turned 14, and next July 31st, I will turn 15.  Ms. Skeeter shows, again, how little she cares to write about facts.

In the article she wrote after the Yule Ball, she insinuated that Fleur used her allure on us, that Hermione used potions on us, and that Cho and Luna were otherwise unfit to be with us.  The Medical Reports above, just underneath Viktor’s article, should be proof enough that when we say this is untrue, it is, in fact, untrue.

In response to this article, several of her readers began to send hate mail to them, and even booby-trapped letters, one of which sent Hermione to the hospital wing, before Dumbledore confiscated the rest of it to be sent checked over for anything else dangerous.

Ms. Skeeter, I imagine, would take delight in this, as she has proven herself to enjoy rumormongering and reporting hearsay as fact, and I believe that such a reaction is exactly what she had been hoping for when she wrote the article.

I implore you all, do not believe anything Ms. Skeeter writes.  And as to the person who sent the letter that confined Hermione to the hospital wing for three days, pray we never cross paths, and that I never find out who you are.  I am very, very protective of my friends.

 

**Afterword**

 

With this we hope to allow you to know what is really going on, and implore you to take anything not said directly by us in this or Part 2 (coming soon, covering the second and third tasks) with a grain of salt.

And please, please, stop sending hate mail and booby-trapped letters to our friends.  You not only put them and us in danger, but those students who sit around us when the letters arrive in the morning.

Thank you.

 

Cedric Diggory        Viktor Krum        Fleur Delacour        Harry Potter

 

Edited by: Xenophilius Lovegood, Quibbler


	13. 11: Water, Water Everywhere

_What’s Really Going On?_ was a hit with everyone.  The hate mail and cursed letters disappeared, and in their place was apologies along with congratulations for succeeding in the first task, wishes of luck for their next tasks, and a few worries about why Harry was entered into the tournament.

One morning, several days after the booklet was published, Hermione gasped drawing the attention of the others.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked.

“Nothing,” Hermione said, looking up from her letter.  “It’s from the person who sent the bubotuber pus filled letter.”

“Oh,” Harry said darkly.

“Shush you,” Hermione said. “She’s apologizing, not only for her actions, but for her stupidity in believing anything Rita Skeeter wrote since Skeeter ruined her older brother’s reputation several years ago.  In compensation, she went to Flourish & Blotts and put down almost a hundred galleons in my name that I can use to buy books whenever I feel like it.”

“Well, that was nice of her,” Luna said.

“Yes it was.  Her only request was that I didn’t give Harry her name.”

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Cho said.  “The next task is underwater, right?  How are you guys going to communicate?”

The four champions looked at each other and, shrugging, turned back to Cho.  “No idea,” Cedric said.  “Do you have a solution?”  Cho usually did when she brought something up.

“Sign language,” Cho said.  “One of my cousin’s is mute, so they talk with their hands.”

“That’s perfect!” Hermione said.  “I’m sure I could convince my parents to send instructional booklets.”

“We don’t necessarily need actual sign language,” Harry said.  “We could just make up our own.”

With almost two whole months to go before the next task, they had plenty of time to do so.

* * *

The morning of the second task was chilly, the cold of the outside drifting through the castle.  Even so, Harry expected Hermione to be the first one in the Great Hall for breakfast.  She wasn’t.  As the rest of the champions trooped in for breakfast, they noticed Cho and Luna didn’t join them like usual.

“Where are zey?” Fleur asked.

“I don’t know,” Harry said.

“You don’t think,” Viktor said.  “We've taken what you'll sorely miss.”

Cedric paled, “But, no, they couldn’t.  People?”

“They should have put taken _who_ you’ll sorely miss in the clue,” Harry grumbled.

Fleur let out a gasp, “My zizter came to vizit yezterday, but I did not zee her thiz morning.”

“So Gabrielle for Fleur, Luna for me, Hermione for Viktor, and Cho for Cedric,” Harry said.  “Someone needs to go over all of the tasks and say no, not this, this is too dangerous.”

“If any harm comes to them,” Viktor said, threateningly.

“Then the tournament will be looking for new organizers for the third task,” Cedric growled.

* * *

“Welcome to Hogwarts for the Second Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament,” Bagman announced.  “Each of the four champions must traverse to the merfolk village in the lake, and rescue their hostage!”

All four of the champions glared daggers at Bagman and the other judges.  Bagman was the only one visibly effected, wilting and trying to slide down in his chair.

“Ahem, anyway,” he said, much quieter than before, “Are you ready?  In three, two, one.”  A boom sounded off, signaling the start of their hour.

Being the best at conjuration, Cedric conjured a boat big enough to fit eight.  Myrtle had pointed out where the merfolk village was weeks ago.  Now it was just a matter of guiding their boat in the right direction.

When it stopped, the four champions dived into the water.  Gillyweed would provide them all the time they needed, and unlike a spell like the bubble-head charm or a transfiguration, they wouldn’t waste any magic holding it.

The swam down to the village, noting that the hostages were all held in different parts of the village, each one surrounded by half a dozen merfolk.  Veelas were creatures of air and fire, and while there was no conclusive proof that being in the water for long periods of time hurt them, it was known to be very uncomfortable for them.

With that in mind, Harry signed, ‘Fleur hostage first’.  Cedric and Viktor both nodded, and Fleur gave the three of them a grateful look.  The four champions headed for the northern part of the village, where Fleur’s sister, Gabrielle, was tied to a pole with some seaweed.

The merfolk made threatening gestures when they drew near, and Viktor and Cedric both transfigured stones into sharks, while Harry and Fleur made for Gabrielle.  The sharks made the merfolk scatter, allowing Fleur to cut her sister free.

‘Go’ Viktor signed, as the boys moved to the next closest hostage – Cho.  Fleur nodded and began swimming to the surface.  Since the sharks had worked before, Cedric and Viktor transfigured more of them, causing the merfolk to scatter again.

Before Cedric could take Cho to the surface, the merfolk around Luna and Hermione began to make threatening gestures towards them.  ‘Split Come Back Fleur’ Cedric signed before heading to the surface with Cho.

Viktor and Harry nodded and split up going towards their own hostages.

* * *

Cedric surfaced and pulled Cho’s head above water.  She gasped and took a deep breath.  Fleur helped pull her into the boat.

“We need to go back,” Cedric said.  “Viktor and Harry need help.”

Fleur jumped back in the water, “Let’s go.”

* * *

One merman’s trident came too close to Luna’s neck for Harry’s liking.  A cutting curse, slowed slightly by the water, cut off the hand holding the offending weapon.  The merman screeched in pain and the rest surrounding Luna made a beeline for Harry.

Another cutting curse put two of the merfolk off their course.  The remaining ones picked up their pace, and one threw his trident at Harry.  A shield blocked it.  Harry and the merfolk looked up – Cedric had arrived.  A quick transfiguration and a shark joined them, heading for the bleeding merfolk.

The merfolk began surrounding their injured companions trying to ward off the shark, giving Harry the time he needed to get to Luna and cut her free.  Rather than swim to the surface, Cedric held tight to Harry, who held tight to Luna, and then the older boy cast a Relashio, hot jets of water propelling them forward towards the surface.

They saw Viktor and Fleur also headed to the surface, Fleur holding onto Hermione and Viktor firing spells at the merfolk behind them, but Cedric, Harry, and Luna broke through the water’s surface first.

“Quick in the boat,” Cedric said, already lifting Luna up and into it.  Cho and Gabrielle helped pull her in.  Harry was next, then Cedric, and then Viktor’s group surfaced and was helped into the boat.

* * *

Viktor didn’t waste any time, transfiguring several sharks, and then using the imperious curse on them and having them go for the merfolk surrounding Hermione.  He swam between them, trying to avoid their weapons.  Fleur barreled into one that had killed its shark, the hot water of a Relashio driving her into the merman.

Others were beginning to overcome their sharks, and turned their eyes to the champions and hostage.  Viktor cut Hermione loose, and then began casting spell after spell towards the merfolk.  Fleur grabbed Hermione and then began swimming towards the surface, Viktor following behind still firing spells.

Fleur and Hermione surfaced first.  “’urry!  They’re coming!”  Hermione and Fleur were pulled into the boat almost instantly.  Viktor surfaced latched onto the boat, and then cast a Relashio behind him, pushing the boat towards the lake’s edge.

They quickly exited the boat once it was near land, and Madam Pomfrey covered them all with blankets, supplying them all with hot chocolate.

A mermaid, the chieftianess judging by her crown of weeds, surfaced, and began to screech at Dumbledore, shaking her fist and baring her pointy teeth.

“I see,” Dumbledore said, “I am very sorry for the injuries, but we did warn you that such a thing might happen.”

The mermaid gave him a frown and splashed him with water, before screeching something else and disappearing into the lake.

“Well,” Dumbledore said to the crowd, “I would suggest all students avoid entering the lake for a while, until the merfolk’s tempers cool down.”

“What happened?” Bagman asked.

“What did happen!?” Cedric demanded.  “Our hostages were all over the place in that village!”

“Well, you weren’t supposed to be working together!” Crouch said.

“Fuck that,” Hermione said, shocking everyone, “Isn’t this whole bloody tournament about international cooperation?  Or was that just a big fat lie!?”

“Now see here girlie,” Crouch began.

Hermione interrupted him, “Don’t call me girlie, you sanctimonious officious prick!  What the hell were you thinking!?  Had you asked me about being placed down at the bottom of the lake, I would have told you no!  And I can’t imagine poor Gabrielle – who’s only eight! – would agree either!”

Gabrielle said something in French, which Fleur translated, “Zhe zaid zhe most zertainly did not agree, and tried to fight zem off when zey took ‘er!”

The crowd was glaring at the judge’s table.  Maxime, Karkaroff, and Dumbledore were both glaring at Crouch and Bagman.

“You told me, Mr. Crouch, that my three students had all agreed,” Dumbledore said, sounding far colder than the lake had been.  “I have come to believe this is not true.”

“And I heard nothing at all of Ms. Delacour being removed from ze carriage, much less asked to participate in ze task!” Maxime added.

“I suppose I should be thankful none of my students were placed down there,” Karkaroff said darkly.  “Be glad, because I would have had your heads if you had taken one of my students without their consent!”

“I would have zeir headz anyway!” Maxime said.

“As would I,” Dumbledore said, “Alas, they are both immune from prosecution during the duration of the tournament.”

“As are we three,” Karkaroff remind them.

Maxime didn’t bother going for her wand, she just smacked both their heads together, knocking them both unconscious.  Pomfrey didn’t bother going over to see to them.  They could wake up with massive headaches for all she cared.

“Well,” Dumbledore said, smiling, “with those two unaware of what transpired in the lake, I suppose we can assume they gave each of the champions’ full points.”

The crowd cheered.  Karkaroff cleared his throat, “Can we do that?”

“I don’t hear them protesting the decision, do you?” Maxime said.  The crowd cheered louder.  “Now, what did happen in the lake?”

The champions told the three remaining judges what happened in the lake.  Dumbledore nodded when they were done, “Yes, the merchieftaness told me as much.  Shall we decide their scores?”

Lee Jordan came over, and pushed Bagman out of his seat, grabbing the microphone Bagman had been using.  “You don’t mind if I do the announcing do you, Professor?”

“Not at all,” Dumbledore said.  “Please do.”

“Our first champion to return was Fleur Delacour, just under twenty minutes,” Lee announced.  “Neither she nor her hostage were harmed, and she later returned to the lake to help her fellow champion, Viktor Krum!”

Dumbledore and Maxime both shot ‘10’s into the air, while Karkaroff gave her an ‘8’.

“Fleur’s score for the second task is 48, bringing her total score to 91.  That definitely sounds like the score to beat!”  Lee waited for the crowd’s cheering to die down before continuing, “Our second champion to return was Cedric Diggory, just under twenty-five minutes.  Neither he nor his hostage were harmed, and he later returned to the lake to help his fellow champion, Harry Potter!”

Dumbledore gave him a ‘10’, while Maxime gave him a ‘9’.  Karkaroff shot another ‘8’ into the air.

“Cedric’s score for the second task is 47, bringing his total score to 88.”  The crowd mostly made of Hogwarts students cheered even louder.  “Our third champion to return was Harry Potter, just over twenty-five minutes.  Neither he nor his hostage were harmed, but he did cause severe injury to several merfolk when they made overly threatening gestures towards his hostage.”

Dumbledore gave him an ‘8’, while Maxime and Karkaroff both gave him a ‘6’.

“Harry’s score for the second task is 40, bringing his total score up to 86.”  The cheering for Harry wasn’t quite as loud as Cedric’s, but it was louder than Fleur’s.  “Our final champion to return was Viktor Krum, seconds after Harry Potter.  Neither he nor his hostage were harmed, but he did cause injury to several merfolk when they made threatening gestures towards his hostage.”

Dumbledore and Maxime gave Viktor the same scores they gave Harry, but Karkaroff gave him an ‘10’ instead.

“And Viktor’s score for the task is 44, bringing his total score to 89.”  Lee waited for the cheers to die down again before continuing once more, “That leaves Beauxbatons champion Fleur Delacour in first place for the task and first place overall, Durmstrang champion Viktor Krum in second place for the task and second place overall, Hogwarts champion Cedric Diggory in third place for the task and third place overall, and our youngest Hogwarts Champion Harry Potter in fourth place for the task and fourth place overall.  This concludes the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, now let’s all get our arses inside before we freeze them off!”

The crowd’s laughter didn’t quite manage to be louder than McGonagall’s yell of, “Jordan!”, but hearing her just made the crowd laugh harder.


	14. 12: Rita Skeeter's Last Hurrah

**_Champion’s Friend Insults Judges!_ **

**_Beauxbatons Headmistress Attacks!_ **

**_Two Champions’ Vicious Victory!_ **

_Yesterday was the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  The champions were required to go into the lake to rescue their hostages from the merfolk village.  The Beauxbatons champion, Fleur Delacour, was the first to return with her hostage, her younger sister, 6-year-old Guinevere.  Hogwarts champion Cedric Diggory returned next, with his hostage Cho Chang._

_They both returned to the water to help the remaining champions.  In the process, Durmstrang champion Viktor Krum and Hogwarts champion Harry Potter both severely injured several merfolk.  No word yet on whether or not the merfolk will live.  Upon returning with their hostages, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger, Krum’s hostage, Granger, began insulting the judges, calling one of them a “Sanctimonious officious prick” and refused all attempts to calm her down._

_Rather than help to calm the young girl down, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons attacked her fellow judges, knocking two of them unconscious.  Both were left there, without treatment, until the scores for the champions were read out._

_With such a violent example being set, it is no wonder why the champions resort to committing violence against innocent creatures to achieve their means._

_-Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet_

 

Hermione tried to set the paper on fire with the force of her glare.  She wasn’t the only one unhappy about the article.  At the staff table, Madam Maxime is was bellowing at the paper from behind a silencing spell.

“I’ll, I’ll, I’ll,” Hermione was so angry she was unable to form a sentence.

“Wring her scrawny little neck,” Luna suggested.

“I’ll wring her scrawny little neck,” Hermione snarled.

“Get in line, Ms. Granger,” Flitwick said, walking by them.  “Implications are one thing, but outright saying something bad about Mr. Potter?  The goblins are probably already looking for her.”

* * *

 

Proudgott stormed into the Daily Prophet building, not bothering to answer the secretary’s questions, and kicked open the editor’s door.

“What on earth are you doing!?” Barnabus Cuffe demanded.

“Calling in all your loans,” Proudgott said, slamming the paperwork for just that down on Cuffe’s desk.

Cuffe paled rapidly, “Wuh-what?  Why?  We’ve kept up with our payments!”

“Yes, you have,” Proudgott said.  “But, if you read the fine print, you also agreed not to print anything bad about any goblins or goblin friends.”

“And we haven’t!”

“You have, just this morning in fact.  Harry Potter is currently undertaking a goblin apprenticeship, which can only be done when one is friends with the goblin nation.”  Or enough goblins higher up in the ladder than others.

Cuffe actually managed to pale further, “But, but, there must be something we can do.  What if we printed a retraction?”

“A retraction would be a good start,” Proudgott said, “but if you want us to not call for every cent you owe us all at once, we’ll need the article writer as well.”

“Rita?  But she’s my best money-maker!”

“Yes, by selling outright lies and other sorts of misinformation.  But, if you’d rather have to pay all of your loans now…”

“No!  No, no, dear Merlin, we couldn’t afford to pay off half of them at the moment,” Cuffe said, pulling at his shirt collar.  “Fine, fine, you can take her.  She should be in her office.  My secretary will give you directions.

“And the retraction?”

“Printed front page tomorrow.”

“Good.”

* * *

 

“What’s wrong?” Flitwick asked, watching Harry stare at the Marauder’s Map.

“I’ve been watching the Potions storeroom,” Harry said, frowning, “Ron and Hermione have both mentioned overhearing Snape complaining about ingredients going missing – the ingredients for Polyjuice potion.”

“I see.  And have you noticed anyone who shouldn’t be there?”

“Crouch.”

“Barty Crouch?  Well, I don’t think he’s the thief, but what has he been in there for, I wonder.”

“I don’t know, but he also spends a lot of time with Moody in Moody’s office.”

“Odd.  I’ll pass the information along to Severus.  In the meantime, I believe you have a meeting with your fellow champions to get to.”

* * *

 

“Good evening Ms. Skeeter,” Proudgott said.  It was almost two weeks after he had left her in a cell.

“You can’t keep me in here!” Skeeter yelled.

“I think you’ll find I can, Ms. Skeeter.  And the entirety of these tunnels is a null zone for magic of any sort, including your animagus form.”

“Yo-you know about that?” Skeeter asked.

“Of course.  We’ve known about it for years, Ms. Skeeter.”

“And you didn’t report me in all that time”

“Quite frankly, how you get your information is none of our concern, Ms. Skeeter.  What does concern us is what you write about us and our friends, which includes Mr. Harry Potter by the way.”

“Oh,” Skeeter said, paling.

“Yes, ‘oh’ indeed.  Now, you have two choices, Veritaserum, to attempt to clear your name, or given to one of our dragons for dinner?”

Skeeter was all set to refuse the Veritaserum, but there was no way in hell she was allowing herself to be fed to any dragon.  She’d just have to give up enough people to keep herself alive until she could figure out how to escape.

“Veritaserum,” Skeeter said.

Proudgott smiled, “I thought you might see it my way.”

* * *

 

_Dear Apprentice Potter,_

_I recently managed to snag a sit down with Ms. Rita Skeeter.  In between other information gathered from her, she also managed to tell us the authors of the Harry Potter Adventure Series.  Herself, along with Gilderoy Lockhart and Sybill Trelawney, are the authors of various books in the series._

_The fees resulting from using your name and image without your permission have been taken from Ms. Skeeter’s vaults already.  Payment from the vaults of Gilderoy Lockhart and Sybill Trelawney are forthcoming, and likely to be done by the end of the month._

_In other news, I congratulate you on your successes so far in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and wish you the best of luck in the third task._

_Sincerely,_

_Proudcar Kyargott_

 

“Well, it’s about time they found out who the authors were,” Cho said.  “Honestly, using your name like that, it’s horrible.”

“Besides, the real adventures of Harry Potter were far more exciting,” Hermione said.  She turned a slightly red color when Harry looked at her and raised his eyebrow.  “I may have borrowed one or two of them from Ginny while we stayed at the Leaky Cauldron last year.”

“I’m sure if you wrote them out, Daddy would be happy to help publish them,” Luna said.

“That would be very nice of him, but perhaps you should ask Hermione to write them out.  She was the brains behind everything after all.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me Mr. Potter,” Hermione said, giving him a mocking look.

“Probably because it can’t get past your frizzy hair,” Harry said.  “OW!”  Hermione had smacked him on the arm.  “Mean.”

“Annoying,” Hermione replied back, before burying her face in a book and ignoring him.

Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

* * *

 

March gave way to April, which gave way to May.  Near the end of May, Bagman had the champions gather just outside the Quidditch Pitch.  The four of them stared at the hedges littering the field.

“Blasphemy,” Cedric said.

“Now, I know they’re not much to look at now,” Bagman said, gesturing to the hedges, “but in a month or so, they’ll be perfectly tall for our purposes.”

“And what purpozez are zoze?” Fleur asked.

“Why, the third task of course,” Bagman said, chuckling.  “Can any of you tell what it will be?”

“A maze?” Viktor suggested.

“Yes, exactly!  A maze.  In the center of the maze will be the Tri-Wizard trophy.  The first of you to get to the cup will be the winner!  Now, off you trot.”

“Off we trot, like we’re horzez or zomething,” Fleur complained bitterly.  “Would you boyz care to join me for a walk around ze lake?”

“Well, I guess as long as we avoid getting to close to the lakeshore, we should be alright,” Cedric said.

“You and Fleur will be fine,” Harry said.  “It’s me and Viktor the merfolk are angry at.”

Viktor grumbled something out that sounded like it might be Hermione’s name.  They headed for the lake, crossing in front of the Forbidden Forest on their way there.

“Dumbledore!” Mr. Crouch came stumbling out of the forest, eyes wide.  “I must get to Dumbledore!  Must tell him!  Dumbledore!”  He tripped and fell onto his face, and stopped moving, just muttering ‘Dumbledore!’ over and over again.

“I think we should take him to the infirmary,” Cedric said.

“Dumbledore,” Crouch moaned.

“Dumbledore’s not here.  He’s off with the goblins for something,” Harry said.  It was about the remaining horcruxes, but Harry had been asked not to tell anyone that.

“The infirmary it is,” Cedric said. “Help me lift him up.”

“Are you a wizard or not,” Fleur said, waving her wand.  Crouch began floating a few feet off the ground.

“Dumbledore,” he said again.  “Need to tell…important…Dumbledore.”

“We’ll send a message to Dumbledore when we get you to the infirmary,” Harry said.  “Expecto Patronum.  Message Start.  Mr. Crouch came out of the forest, looking for you.  He says it’s important but he’s in really bad shape so we’re taking him to the infirmary.  Message End.  Take that to Professor Dumbledore please Prongs.”

Prongs nodded and raced off.

“Amazing,” Viktor said.  “I cannot do that spell.”

“Neizer can I,” Fleur said.  “It iz a very difficult zpell.”

“Yeah, well, I had a couple hundred really nasty soul-sucking motivators to get me to learn it,” Harry said.

Right before they entered the infirmary with Mr. Crouch, a white phoenix flew down to them, and Dumbledore’s voice came out of it, “I will be a little while.  Have Poppy, Madam Pomfrey that is, put him in one of the private rooms of the Hospital Wing.  Do not leave his side.  Do not allow anyone else but yourselves and Poppy near him until I get there.”

* * *

 

Dumbledore entered the infirmary hours later, with McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape all trailing behind him.

“Poppy?”

“In there,” Poppy said, gesturing to a door.  The four champions were inside, guarding Crouch in his bed.

“Out, all of you,” Snape snapped.  Minerva’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“Now Severus,” Dumbledore said, “If he is about to tell me what I think he is, then the three of them deserve to know as well.”

Dumbledore strode over to Crouch’s bed, and gently shook his shoulder.  Crouch woke slowly, blinking his eyes.  Finally his eyes focused on Dumbledore and he let out a gasp.

“Dumbledore!”

“Yes, yes, I am here.  I have heard you wish to speak to me.”

“I made a mistake Dumbledore, a horrible mistake!” Crouch sobbed out.  “My wife, she wanted better for our son than Azkaban.  She was dying, Dumbledore; it was her last wish.”

“What was her last wish?” Dumbledore asked.

“Sirius Black wasn’t the first to escape Azkaban.  My son was.  My wife and I went to visit him.  We took polyjuice with us.  She took his place in there.”

“And where is he now?”

“Here, here at Hogwarts!” Crouch said.  “I don’t know where exactly, but I know he’s here.  He had me under the imperious.  He wants, he wants,” Crouch trailed off, eyes focusing on Harry.  He pointed a finger at Harry.  “He wants him!”

Harry swallowed.  Dumbledore made Crouch focus back on him.  “Why does he want Harry?”

“He, they, they plan to bring back Voldemort.  They need Potter’s blood.”

“Who, Barty?  Who are they?”

“My son and, and, Peter Pettigrew.  I didn’t know he was a Death Eater, I swear.  I never would have sent Black to Azkaban without a trial if I knew.  I swear, I swear.”

“I believe you, Barty,” Dumbledore said, trying to calm him down.  “Why do they need Harry’s blood?  What part does it play in Voldemort’s return?”

“I, I don’t know.  I don’t even know how he plans to get Potter to them.”

“Barty,” Flitwick said, a strange glint in his eye.  “Have you been going into Severus’ ingredient stores?”

Crouch stared at him in confusion, “No, why?”

Flitwick turned to Harry, “Harry, your map, did it specify between Bartemius Crouch Senior or Junior?”

“No sir,” Harry said, pulling out the map.  “Oh.”  Bartemius Crouch’s name was in the hospital wing, surrounded by the champions’ and professors’ names.

But it was also in Moody’s office with Professor Moody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is almost done. Two chapters and an epilogue to go. My last post on FF.net was in the middle of 2012 (this story was actually 2011), and now I've finally completed those stories and am almost done posting them. By the way: Thank you very much to V-rcingetorix, Concrete63, Hermione J Krum, and anyone else who has also reviewed the stories on FF.net to inform the readers there that the stories are now posted here.


	15. 13: The First Task, Part 1

“Two Mr. Crouchez?” Fleur asked.

“Senior and Junior,” Cedric said.  “He’s the one who’s been stealing the ingredients for the polyjuice potion!”

“So it seems,” Snape said, glaring at Moody’s office on the map.

“Severus, get some Veritaserum and meet me in my office.  Harry, Cedric, Fleur, Viktor, I must ask you to stay here for the time being.  I will return later, with my pensieve.”

The four champions nodded.

“Go, go easy on him, please,” Crouch said, crying again.  “He’s my only son.”

“I know, Barty, I know.  Minerva, Filius, follow me.”

* * *

 

Dumbledore returned an hour later, pensieve in hand.  He looked at the four champions, “The four of you deserve to see this.  Barty, if you don’t wish to see it, I understand.”

“No, no, I want to see it.  I need to see it,” Crouch said, crying.  “I need to see how far he’s truly fallen.”

Dumbledore nodded, and set the pensieve down.  “After you, Barty.”  Crouch was the first one to touch the memories inside, followed by Cedric and Viktor, then Harry and Fleur.

* * *

 

A knock sounded on the door.

“Come in Alastor,” Dumbledore said, sitting at his desk.

“You wanted to see me Albus?”  Moody asked, eyeing Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick in the corner with wariness.  He was watching the wrong people.

“Yes, I did.”  Quick as a flash of lightning, Dumbledore drew his wand and had Moody bound in ropes.  “Severus if you please.”

Snape forced open Moody’s mouth and placed three drops of Veritaserum on his tongue.

“What is your name?” Snape asked, to check if the potion had kicked in.

“Bartemius Crouch Jr.,” Moody replied.

“Headmaster, he’s all yours.”

“Barty, where is Voldemort hiding?”

“I don’t know.  He didn’t tell me in case I was captured,” Crouch said.  “And he was right to do so.  I failed him.”

“No, you haven’t failed him, not yet,” Dumbledore said.  “Why does Voldemort need Harry Potter’s blood?”

“A ritual to bring him back to his full glory!  Bone of the Father, Flesh of the Servant, Blood of the Enemy!  It’s a pity I can’t be there to give him my flesh.  Pettigrew is a poor substitute.”

“Yes, a pity,” Dumbledore said.  “Tell me, Barty, how do you plan to get Harry Potter to him?”

“I was going to offer to place the trophy in the maze, and charm it to be a portkey.  Then I’d insure none of the other champions grabbed the trophy before Potter.”

“I see.  Thank you for the information.  Stupefy!  Obliviate!”

“Albus?” Minerva asked.

“Place him back in Moody’s office for now, Severus,” Dumbledore said.

“You’re reversing the trap onto Voldemort,” Flitwick said.

“Yes.”

“Harry won’t be going.”

“That is up to Mr. Potter to decide.”

“No, it’s up to me to decide,” Flitwick said.  “He’s my apprentice, if you recall.  And I told him several months ago I’d make sure he’d survive the tournament if I had to take his place to do it.  Severus can brew polyjuice can’t he?”

“It will take a month to brew,” Dumbledore protested.

“Well, lucky us,” Flitwick said.  “There’s a whole month between now and the final task.”

“If Mr. Potter does not participate in the task, then-”

Flitwick said something in Gobbledegook that Harry wouldn’t be translating for anyone, on account of how nasty it was.  “You and I both know he only has to participate in the third task.  There’s no restrictions on what that task might be.”

“Let Crouch make the portkey,” McGonagall said, “and place it in the maze.  Once that’s done, we can have him arrested, and you, Filius and I will go wherever it takes us, while the champions do, oh, I don’t know, a dueling competition or something.”

“Sounds good to me,” Flitwick said.

“I will be unable to go with you,” Dumbledore said.  “I must remain during the task, as one of the tournament judges.”

“Then Filius and I will go alone,” McGonagall said.  “I owe the bastard for taking my husband in the last war.”

* * *

 

“What, what will we do?” Crouch asked.

“What Minerva suggested,” Dumbledore said.  “A dueling competition will be held in the Great Hall as the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  And while the competition goes on, Filius, Minerva, and several goblins will use the portkey to go to Voldemort.  By the way, Harry, we’ll need a bit of your hair.  Filius will be showing up as you.”

Harry nodded.

“At least you won’t have to deal with You-Know-Who,” Cedric said, before pausing and then adding, “Again.”

“Nope,” Harry said.  “I just have to beat you four in a duel.”

“Confident in your abilities Potter?” Viktor asked.

“Of the four of us, whose been training with the dueling champ?”

“Ah,” Fleur said.  “Ziz competition just got more challenging.”

* * *

 

The end of June came up on them quickly.  Cedric was excused from Defense Against the Dark Arts, so that he didn’t give anything away, since he was the only champion taking the class.  He spent most of his time scouring the library, and Harry’s collection of books, preparing for the dueling competition.

When June 24th finally came, Crouch-in-Disguise-as-Moody placed the trophy in the middle of the maze.  He was stunned and bound in ropes by Dumbledore the second he stepped out of the maze.  Finally, Bagman was informed of the change.

“But, but, the maze!”

“Was proven to be a trap by a Death Eater,” Dumbledore said.  “Minerva and Filius are looking into it, but the maze will be unusable for the task.”

Bagman sighed, “A dueling tournament then?  How will it be arranged?”

Dumbledore smiled.

* * *

 

The portkey took them to a graveyard.  Everyone but Flitwick was disillusioned, and Flitwick was polyjuiced to look like Harry.

“Potter?” Pettigrew asked.  “But…I thought the task wasn’t until dusk.”

“It’s a trap!” Voldemort screeched but it was too late.  Flitwick fired off six spells in quick succession, his reflexes from his time as a dueling champion coming to the fore.

Pettigrew squeaked in terror, dropping the baby Voldemort, and transforming into his animagus form.  Unfortunately for him, McGonagall’s animagus form was a cat, which quickly caught up to him.

The goblins immediately went to the cauldron, bubbling away in the middle of the graveyard, and began to inspect it.  One of them wrapped the baby Voldemort in a blanket, being careful not to touch him, and then shoved him in a lead box.

“We’re going to need a bigger box,” one goblin said, looking at the cauldron.

Another one rolled his eyes, “Never should have let you out of the bank to watch that movie.”

“Diffindo!” Flitwick cried out, decapitating Nagini before she even managed to bite anyone.

“Well,” Rockgut said, motioning to the box containing Voldemort, “We’ll get this and the cauldron back to Gringotts.  We’ll contact you when we’re sure he’s dead.”

“Good.  I hope you have a pleasant evening,” McGonagall said, holding Pettigrew’s rat form in her hand.  “Better than mine anyway.  Yech!”  She spit on the ground.

“Have a little morsel of rat, did we?” Flitwick asked,

“Just a bit,” McGonagall said, spitting on the ground again.  “Ugh, I’ll never get the taste of rat out of my mouth.”

* * *

 

“Welcome to the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament!” Bagman announced.  “Due to complications, the original plans and time for the task have changed.  Instead of going through a maze to get the trophy for the win, the champions will be facing each other directly in a dueling competition!”

The students cheered.  The Great Hall had been split into three sections.  The middle section held a dueling platform as well as seating for the judges, special guests like the Minister and the Head of the DMLE, and the champions not dueling at the moment.  The other two sections held seating for the students.

“The points stand as follows: Fleur Delacour is in first place with 91, Cedric Diggory is in second place with 88, Viktor Krum is in third place with 87, and Harry Potter is in fourth place with 86.  It’s been a close race so far.  The judges have decided for the following scoring system: The winner of each duel will receive fifteen points.  The loser will receive anywhere from 0 to 3 points from each of the five judges.

“The points will be added to their previous scores, and whoever comes away with the highest amount of points wins the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  There duels will follow the standard international rules, with one exception – the champions are also forbidden from using any magic deemed illegal by one of our Ministries.  Our first duel will be between our first and second place champions, Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory!”

Fleur and Cedric took to the dueling platform.

“Professor Snape had been kind enough to agree to be our referee.”  The students looked at Bagman like he was crazy, calling Snape ‘kind’.

“Are you both ready?  Bow to each other,” Snape said.  They did.  “In three, two, one, go!”

“Avis!” Fluer cast.  Birds came out of her wand and flew towards Cedric.  “Oppungo!” followed shortly after causing them to attack, and then “Incendio!” set the birds on fire.

To busy worrying about keeping the angry, fiery birds from harming him, Cedric completely missed her next spell – a stunner which knocked him out.”

“A nice try with the shield spell from Cedric to keep the birds away, but ultimately not enough.  Fleur receives twelve points, bringing her up to 103.  Judges, how about Cedric?”

Dumbledore gave him a ‘1’, while Crouch, Bagman, Maxime and Karkaroff gave him a ‘0’.

“One point, taking Cedric up to 89.  He’ll have to do better than that if he wants to win.  Our next duel is between our third and fourth place champions, Viktor Krum and Harry Potter!”

Harry and Viktor stepped up on the platform.

“Are the two of you ready?  Bow to each other,” Snape said, again.  “And then, three, two, one, go!”

“Stupefy!” Viktor cast, at the same time Harry cast, “Expelliarmus!”  Both of them rolled out of the way rather than shielding.  They got to their feet and faced each other again.

“Ferula!” Harry cast.  The unexpected spell made Viktor pause in confusion, allowing bandages to wrap around his leg, making a splint and forcing him off balance.

As he fell to the floor, he cast three spells in quick succession towards Harry, “Incendio!  Incarcerous!  Petrificus Totalus!” before casting “Finite Incantatem!” to remove the splint and bandages.

Harry shielded all three of them, and Viktor managed to find his feet.  They circled each other for a few seconds, before Harry cast, “Expecto Patronum!”

Even knowing a Patronus wouldn’t hurt him, seeing a large stag barreling down the platform at him, made Viktor jump out of the way.  He realized his mistake only half a second before Harry managed to stun him.

“Well now, that was a wonderfully exciting duel, wasn’t it,” Bagman said.  “Harry will receive 12 points, bringing his score up to 98.  Judges, what about Viktor?”

Karkaroff quickly shot up a ‘3’.  Maxime rolled her eyes and shot out a ‘0’.  Bagman gave him a ‘2’.  Crouch and Dumbledore both gave him a ‘1’.

“Seven points, bringing Viktor’s score up to 96.  Our next duel will be between the winners of the first two duels, Fleur Delacour and Harry Potter.  To give Mr. Potter some time to recover, the duel will be postponed twenty minutes.”  Not to mention, Bagman had some bets to place.

Twenty minutes later, Fluer and Harry both climbed onto the platform.

“Ready to loze to ze better looking champion, Mr. Potter?” Fleur taunted.

“If the win will go to the better looking champion, then it shall go to me,” Harry said.  “I am, at least, twice as pretty as you.”

Fleur scoffed, and Snape rolled his eyes.  “Are you both ready?  Good, bow to each other.”  Fleur and Harry bowed, and then got into their ready stances.  All that was left now was to wait for the countdown.


	16. 14: The Third Task, Part 2

“Three, two, one, go!” Snape said.

Fleur went with what worked for her last time, casting “Avis!  Oppungo!  Incendio!”

Harry didn’t pay as much attention to the birds as Cedric had, casting “Glacius!” to freeze the birds midflight, before using “Deprimo!” to send the icy chunks at Fleur, followed up by a “Petrificus Totalus!” and a “Stupefy!”

“Protego Maxima!” shielded Fleur from the ice birds and the body-bind, but the stunner broke through.  She rolled out of the way, casting “Expelliarmus!” as she went.

Harry shielded with a “Protego!” of his own, and then followed up with a “Incarcerous!”

Fleur dodged and cast the jelly-fingers jinx in retaliation.  When Harry’s wand slipped from his fingers, she cast “Stupefy!  Stupefy!  Stupefy!”

Harry danced around the incoming spell fire, reaching out with his non-dominant hand, “Accio wand!”  His wand flew into his non jinxed hand.

Fleur, and the rest of the student body, were stunned long enough for Harry to cast, “Finite Incantatem!”  and then shoot his own “Stupefy!” at Fleur.

Fleur recovered from her shock quick enough to shield against the stunner, before sending an “Incarcerous!” of her own at Harry.

“Where on earth did you learn to do wandlezz magic?” Fleur asked.

The rest of the student body, and the judges and special guests, all leaned in.  They were interested in the answer too.

“That?  A parlor trick,” Harry said.  “You want to see real wandless magic?  Accio brooch!”  Without using his wand, Harry summoned the brooch on Fleur’s shirt.  It moved towards him, with Fleur still attached.

“Deprimo!” also without his wand, sent Fleur flying backwards.  During her flight, she cast “Accio glasses!”

Harry’s glasses flew off his face and he began cursing.  Squinting at the blurry blob he was pretty sure was Fleur, he cast, “Obscuro!  Locomotor Fleur!”  A blindfold appeared over Fleur’s eyes and she floated into the air, screaming and cursing in French.

“Potter, put me down zis inztant!” Fleur yelled.

“If you say so,” Harry said.  “Finite Incantatem!”  Fleur hit the platform with an ‘oof’.  A “Stupefy!” hit the still blindfolded girl.

“An excellent duel.  Very creative use of accio, and also the blindfolding spell.  Haven’t seen that one in a while.  Harry wins for another twelve points, bringing his score up to 110.  Let’s see how Fleur scores – judges?”

Karkaroff, in response to Maxime giving Viktor a ‘0’, gave Fleur the same score.  The other four judges gave her ‘2’.

“Eight points for Fleur, taking her score up to 111.  She’s still in first place, but Harry is closing in.  Our next duel is between the losers of our first two duels, Cedric Diggory and Viktor Krum.”

Cedric and Viktor approached the platform.

“Are you both ready?” Snape asked.  “Bow to each other.”  They did.  “In three, two, one, go!”

“Confringo!” Cedric cast at the floor in front of Viktor.  He followed it up with a “Confundo!”

Even in his confusion, Viktor managed to get out a “Conjunctivitus!”  Luckily, he did actually hit Cedric rather than Snape, who was standing close by.

As Cedric dealt with his now painful eyes, Viktor managed to counter his confusion after a few tries, “Finite Incantation, no Incantatus, no, Finite, Finite Incantatem!  Ah, much better.”

Cedric too, had managed to cast “Finite Incantatem!” at his eyes, clearing up all but a little bit of lingering pain.

“Well, this is fun,” Cedric said.

“Very much,” Viktor replied, before casting his on “Confringo!” at the floor in front of Cedric, following it up with a “Furnunculus!”

Painful boils began to spread on Cedric’s chest, where the spell had hit, but he ignored them and cast, “Impedimenta!”

Viktor was knocked back for only a few moments, but it was long enough for Cedric to cast, “Stupefy!” and knock him out.

“Cedric wins the duel, for a full twelve points, bringing his score up to 101.  He may yet catch up to the others.  How about Viktor, judges?”

Karkaroff immediately put up another ‘3’.  Crouch and Bagman both gave him ‘1’  Maxime gave him another ‘0’, and Dumbledore, smiling strangely, did the same.

“Five points, bringing Viktor’s score up to 101 as well.  Our next duels will be between the champions that haven’t faced each other yet.  First up is Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour.  To give Viktor some time to recover, we will be taking another twenty minute break.”  And, if he was lucky, Bagman would be able to change his bets.

Twenty minutes later, Viktor and Fleur ascended to the dueling platform.

“Are you both ready?  Good, now, bow to each other.”  Fleur chose to give a curtsy instead, and following her lead, Viktor gave her one right back, causing most of the students to giggle.  Snape rolled his eyes again, “Places!  In three, two, one, go!”

“Lumos Maxima!” Fleur called out, blinding Viktor and everyone else.

“You should not have worn such strong perfume,” Viktor said, casting “Rictusempra!” in the area where the smell of perfume was strongest.  Judging by Fleur’s shrieking giggles, he had managed to land the hit.

“Tarantallegra!” was much easier to aim while blind, with Fleur giggling to hard to reverse his first spell.

Now Fleur’s giggles were interspersed with the sound of her feet hitting the floor in a strange sounding pattern.  Viktor waited for his vision to return, sure that Fleur was unable to return fire, since she hadn’t been able to cast a spell to end the effects of Viktor’s.

When his vision finally cleared, he cast, “Wingardium Leviosa.” floating Fleur into the air.  “Do you surrender?”

Fleur shrieked in laughter, her eyes wide, as she continued to dance where she floated in the air.  Finally, she began to nod frantically.  Viktor let her down, and cancelled the spells.

“Oh, finally, I can breathe,” Fleur said.

“Viktor’s first win of the competition, giving him twelve points, making his final score 113.  Judges, what are Fleur’s scores?”

Karkaroff gave her another ‘0’, as did Bagman and Crouch.  Maxime shot a ‘2’ up into the air.  Dumbledore with the same strange smile as before, shot a ‘0’ into the air.

Slightly weirded out by Dumbledore’s smile, it took Bagman a few moments to gather his wits.  “Ah, right, sorry.  That gives Fleur 2 points, bringing her final score up to, oh, also 113 points.  Well, hopefully Harry and Cedric will get different scores, to insure there isn’t a tie.”

What were the odds they’d all get the same score?  It had to be very low.  Nearly impossible.  Right?

“Our final duel will be between our two Hogwarts champions, Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter!”

Cedric and Harry climbed up to the dueling platform.

“Are the two of you ready?” Snape asked.  “Good, bow to each other now.”  Cedric and Harry both smiled at Fleur, as they two gave each other curtsies instead, making the students laugh again.

Snape rolled his eyes once more, before giving Dumbledore a glare, for volunteering him for the part of referee.  “In three, two, one, go!”

Harry was immediately forced to jump out of the way of Cedric’s, “Incendio!”  He returned fire with a, “Ferula!”

Cedric stumbled a bit, but was able to avoid the spell giving him a split, and throwing him off balance like it had Viktor.  “Expelliarmus!” Cedric cast.

“Protego!” Harry shielded, and then cast his own, “Expelliarmus!”  Cedric’s wand flew into Harry’s hand.  Harry was to busy paying attention to Cedric’s wand to notice the older boy barreling down the platform to him.

Cedric shoulder hit Harry in the gut, and then Cedric flipped him over his back, snatching back his wand and high-tailing it back to his end of the platform with a, “Protego!” guarding his back from any spells Harry decided to use.

Harry lept to his feet, casting spell after spell, but all of them bounced off of Cedric’s shield.  “Sneaky,” Harry said.

“Thank you,” Cedric replied.

“Are you sure you’re not a Slytherin?”

“Course I’m not.  Hufflepuff all the way,” Cedric said with a smile, “though I may have inherited a few of my mother’s Slytherin tendencies.  Densaugeo!”

“Protego!” Harry shielded again, before returning fire with, “Incendio!  Ferula!”

Cedric managed to avoid the first spell, but not the second, a split wrapping around his wand arm, forcing it to keep straight.  He dodged a, “Stupefy!” from Harry, and grabbed his wand with his other hand.

“Aguamenti!  Accio glasses!  Avis!  Oppungo!” Cedric cast.  It was a lot harder to deal with the birds when he couldn’t clearly see them, leaving Cedric an opening to cast, “Stupefy!” and knock Harry out.

“Harry’s first loss of the tournament, and Cedric’s second win!  Cedric gets the full twelve points, making his final score, oh dear, 113.  And Harry’s scores?  Judges?”

Karkaroff and Maxime had both caught on to what Dumbledore was doing, and shot ‘0’s into the air.  Crouch gave Harry a ‘1’, as did Bagman.  Finally, still smiling, Dumbldore shot his own ‘1’ into the air, making the rest of the judges groan.

“Three points,” Bagman said, miserably, “making Harry’s final score _also_ 113.  Perhaps I messed up somewhere.  I think I’ll re-tally the scores.”

He brightened considerably and began tallying up the scores again, then again, and then one last time, and finally he turned and faced the rest of the judges, “Merlin’s beard!  It really is a four way tie!  What’s the rule for a tie?  Is there a tie-breaker or do they all get a portion of the money?”

“I,” Crouch said, authoritatively, “have no idea whatsoever.”  Dumbledore tried to cover his snort of laughter with a cough.  Maxime didn’t bother hiding hers at all.  Karkaroff and Snape both rolled their eyes, and Bagman fell out of his chair.

Just then Flitwick and Minerva walked into the Great Hall, carrying Peter Pettigrew between them.

“Good Afternoon, everyone, don’t mind us,” Flitwick said, insuring every head in the hall turned towards them.  “Just bringing this man to justice, by giving him to Madam Bones.”

Fudge pursed his lips, but said nothing as Bones took custody of Pettigrew.

“Having betrayed the family of a goblin apprentice, I believe Gringotts will have much interest in what punishments Mr. Pettigrew will suffer,” McGonagall said.

“Yes we will,” Proudgott said.  “We’ll be watching his trial.  Closely.  Ah, hello Minister Helter.”

Fudge paled, “What?  Helter?  My name is Fudge, Cornelius Fudge!”  The goblin couldn’t possibly know about _that_.

“Is it?  Oh, my mistake.  My secretary must have given me the wrong information again.  Silly Skeeterbug is always doing things like that,” Proudgott said, smiling widely.

Fudge gulped.  The goblin did know about _that_.  “Yes, well, perfectly understandable.  My own secretary does the same from time to time.”

“And now, if you don’t mind,” Proudgott said.  “Mr. Bagman, we need to have a talk about your debts.  I don’t normally do collections, but for you, I made an exception.”  Proudgott grinned widely, showing off all his pointy teeth, and Bagman finally recognized him – one of the goblins he gave leprechaun gold to at the World Cup.

“Uh oh,” Bagman said, swallowing nervously.

“And don’t worry,” Proudgott said to the four champions.  “Gringotts will cover the remaining cost of the prize money, allowing each of the four winners to take home one thousand galleons.”

“How, uh, very kind of you,” Fudge said.

“Yes, how very kind of me,” Proudgott said, watching the fidgeting Ludo Bagman like he was a piece of particularly delectable meat.

Bagman would not be seen again.


	17. Epilogue: The End

_What’s Really Going On?  The Tri-Wizard Tournament, Part 2_ was published shortly after the third task, telling everyone of the second and third tasks, and of Pettigrew’s failed attempt to resurrect the Dark Lord.  The articles written by the four champions pointed to even more of Skeeter’s errors in her own articles, but no one could find her to show her their displeasure.  The goblins kept quiet.  Skeeter never managed to escape.

With so much of the public’s eye on him (and the information – blackmail – Proudgott had gotten from Skeeter), Fudge was forced to make Pettigrew’s trial public.  Pettigrew was dosed with Veritaserum, and then lynched by the people in the visitor’s seats before the Wizengamot could decide his fate.  Then the people demanded every single Death Eater, in Azkaban and out, be retried.  Fudge, plied with Malfoy’s gold, tried his best to prevent it, but after several instances of ‘vigilante justice’ he finally caved in and scheduled the trials.

The Ministry had many job openings to fill afterwards.  Any Death Eaters who had committed more than five murders was tossed through the Veil of Death, while the rest were sent to Azkaban.  Their families were also heavily fined, losing most of their wealth in the aftermath.  Draco Malfoy, among others, could not afford to return to school.

The four champions remained in touch, and even wrote several books on dueling and defensive magic together.  After finishing his apprenticeship in record time, Harry spent thirty years playing quidditch for Puddlemere United, alongside the majority of the Gryffindor team.  He also played for the English National Team, playing against Viktor and the Bulgarian National team.  The English team made it to the World Cup seventeen times.

After the end of their Quidditch careers, Viktor and Harry both became professional duelers, alongside Cedric, Fleur, and Fleur’s sister Gabrielle.  The five of them dominated the competition until they retired.  Upon retiring from dueling, they finally sat down and wrote out the _Real Adventures of Harry Potter_ , which covered the events of his first through fourth year.  Since Luna’s father had passed away by that point, Luna was the one to publish them.

Even with twenty reprintings of the first editions, the books sold out quickly.  Harry and Luna married at after one of the World Cup games that his team had won.  They had four children.  Hermione married Ron, but after having two children together they divorced.  Hermione eventually remarried, to Viktor Krum, and had three more children.  Ron remarried, to Lavender Brown, and had eight more children, continuing the tradition of a large Weasley family for another generation.  Fleur eventually went to work for Gringotts, where she met Ron’s older brother Bill Weasley.  They married shortly before Harry and Hermione’s seventh year at Hogwarts, and had three children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that ends the final story that I had left uncompleted on FF.net. I hope everyone who celebrated it had a nice Thanksgiving, yesterday.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone has a fanfiction.net account, please go to [my ff.net profile](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2749197/) and please post in the reviews of the stories there (and maybe on the forums which have a link in the ff.net profile) that the stories are being completed here. Thank you, if you take the time to do this.


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